Shadows of Fate
by Angela White
Summary: Looking for the next edition to the CoR? It's right here. Starts with Riddick and Aereon in the thrown room, his armada now outside the gates to UnderVerse. Whole new story with fresh Furyan characters. Prefer honest reviews. Long live Vin!
1. Chapter 1

COR iv

Shadows of Fate

1.) Dark Shadows

"You're very restless for someone who commands so much." The soft spoken Elemental stated from the dark corners of the deserted thrown room. "UnderVerse is as ideal as they promised." The brooding convict lounging in deceptive casualness didn't respond and the white veiled spirit glided closer.

"If it exists, they will find the way to bring her back." Still, there was no answer and Aereon's normally patient voice grew sharper as she tried again. "You don't belong here, Furyan. There's somewhere else you should be." Riddick's full lips thinned into a line, granite voice cold, pointed.

"Yeah. Alone." The Envoy moved closer, coming up on what should have been his blind side and she froze as he lunged out of the chair, knife going to her throat.

"Your kind can be killed!" He growled, bright eyes flashing and the white haired woman mocked him.

"And here, I thought we'd become friends." His glowing eyes flashed again.

"Killers and Calculators don't have friends." Riddick dropped back into the hard chair of power, already losing interest.

"Take your bullshit and get out. I'm busy."

"Too busy to help your own people?" He snorted, waving a hand at the mostly empty Basilica around them where suspicious guards lurked.

"Even if I claimed these... people, what should I protect them from? Vakko's smutty little wife? The beautiful weather? This place is perfect." His granite voice lowered another notch. "Just fucking perfect."

"I mean the Furyan survivors you've had me listening for. I've found them." Riddick was back on his feet at that and the Elemental took a startled step backward as he stalked toward her.

"Where?" He demanded and she raised a brow. He hadn't show interest in anything since the girl died.

"Tell me!" He ordered and she waved a hand at the impressive Warp Hole they could see thru the side of the ceiling that he had insisted always stay open.

"A galaxy on the other side. Survivors landed there more than 30 years ago, blending in." Her bright blue eyes were foggy, distant. "Rumors say survivors of the Royal family. Except for the Queen and her unborn son, of course." She bowed low before him, something Riddick sensed she did for no one, but her eyes held little loyalty. Why did she care?

"Blood says you belong on that thrown, not this one."

"Where are they?"

"I've put it on this disk, along with the information the pervious Lord Marshal had." She slid it onto the seat he'd vacated and tilted her head, studying him. "Odds are good that you have family alive on this isloated planet. Will you search for them now that you've eliminated the threat or will you leave them to what ever fate has in store?" Riddick shrugged, turned away. He'd just wanted to know he had someone out there somewhere. He hadn't meant to go looking for them. Had he?

"A new life on a safe planet seems like a simple enough fate to be left to." He stated indifferently, mind ready to sink back down into his private hell.

"Too late for that. The mere sight of your passing armada has caused war to break out. As we speak, yet another civilization is falling due to these Necromongers you now lead and the Furyan's there are being hunted, imprisoned. They're calling for help and the energy they send out is trackable by many races." He said nothing and she pushed hard, had to. Everything depended on him going back for them.

"She died so you would not. What a waste." The blade was back against her lined skin, his granite voice a low snarl of warning as his eyes flashed dangerously.

"I haven't forgotten it was you that brought me into all of this, Aereon. Better remember who you're talkin to." She faced him without blinking.

"You'll have to tell me. Are you The Riddick or the New Lord Marshal? Both sides are waiting." She was thin as air a second later, then gone and Riddick lowered the knife, put it away. Furyan survivors. Family. Maybe. The way of life that had been stolen by the very people he was now in charge of. Why was he still here? Her dead face slammed into his mind and Riddick growled his frustration, knowing the Air Elemental was manipulating him but not why. Uneasy, Riddick turned toward his quarters, hesitated. Family. What would that be like?

"Why couldn't it just be Toombs coming for me again? Woulda been a lot easier. To ignore." He snatched up the disk and hit the button on the cold arm of the thrown. "Get me a ship ready. No crew. I'm taking a vacation from all this fucking perfection. Starting now." There was shock in the young Necro's voice as he answered.

"When will you be back, sir?" Silence.

"Lord Marshal?" Only silence and an empty thrown room.

Twenty minutes later, Riddick was alone on the ship, settling into cryo-sleep as information about Furyan races flashed on the screens. Flame throwers, Defenders, Form Shifters, the species was clearly full of hidden talents but all Riddick could see was Kyra dying, over and over in his mind.

"Kyra's death changed me, hurt me in paces I didn't know I could be hurt. All because I let someone get too close. Doesn't matter if they bring her back. She won't really be Kyra or Jack anymore and I guess I knew I wasn't stayin from the moment I saw this place. Too many people expectin too much. All the light, everything I hate. So here I am again, on my way to somewhere else. It's nothin but something else to do, somewhere else to be, and until I get there, it'll be just me in the darkness. The way I like it."


	2. Chapter 2

2.) EndWorld

The heavily armored platoon of soldiers moved in for the kill just as a dim daylight was breaking over the war-torn planet, surrounding the small group of aliens hiding in the dank sewers beneath the burned out city.

They came through the tunnels like a swarm, breaking large holes in the concrete to get to the people, led by an old warhorse Sergeant and a ruthless General with green eyes so pale they appeared transparent.

"Use the darts!" Donre shouted, seeing many of their intended captives falling to gunfire.

"We want them alive!" The Sergeant backed him up and they both ducked as a blast of fire was hurled their way, slamming into the cold stone above their heads. Soldiers were falling all around them, being killed by the small group that only had three real fighters, their desperation lending them strength. Knives flashed, dart guns fired, flames flew through the air, and yet there were no screams, no pleas for mercy, only orders and grunts of death.

"Get the red heads!" Donre shouted from behind the safety of the Sergeants plentiful men. "Don't miss one!"

"They keep getting back up!"

"Then up the dose!"

The men hurried to obey and soon it was only the fighters and the soldiers exchanging darts and fire. Donre nodded as the last of the warriors, a huge man with bright red hair, was hit with another dart and went heavily to his knees. It had only been a few minutes and they had another 17 captives. It was a good half hour's haul.

As things settled down, the Sergeant reported in.

"We have four escapes. They're being chased but I lost half my damn squad!" The Sergeant was pissed. He had been with these men for a long time and Donre turned to look at him.

"You think we should have waited topside for them to come out?" The thin man's eyes were bitter as he nodded, wondering how he'd tell their families he'd gotten their men killed.

"Yes. Our losses would have been much lower if we hadn't listened to your spy." The tall, pale General shrugged, tone casual as he watched the soldiers carefully carry the prisoners, obviously shaken up by how much damage only 3 of the dreaded 'Aliens' could be. Weak.

"They had to die sometime. Why not in service to the great country that no longer exists?" The tone was mocking, baiting, and the career man watched the bodied get slung over shoulders, frowning. Alien bodies. His soldiers might get picked up later. Might.

"That include you and me?" The General's smile was colder than the wind whipping passed them.

"Your loyalty's are not mine." Then why do you fight with us?" The Officer turned those pale, unreadable eyes on him and the life long soldier felt threatened by another male for the first time in many years.

"I watch for someone." He said finally.

"One of them?" Donre's lips twisted.

"The Alpha isn't just one of them. He's the sum of all of them."

"How do you know he'll come here? Base says they're scattered all over." Donre's eyes darkened with plans he'd begun a long time ago.

"Because I've laid a trap. Blinded by youth, calculate betrayals follow." His grin and age lined face was scared, ugly. "Calculated betrayer, Sergeant. That's me." His green eyes glowed with ruthless satisfaction and he pulled up his hood. "We'll come back after we drop these at Santa Quarry Detention center. Snake says there's another group under the old Military installation near here. We'll hit them next."

Both men looked up in surprise as not one, but two gray, diamond shaped ships flew out of the green haze, streaking towards them.

"Isn't this whole planet a no fly zone?" Donre nodded, watching the second, bigger aircraft gain on the first, firing wildly. The ships bumped, banged, and then they were directly overhead and the soldiers around him started raising their guns.

"Hold your fire!" Donre ordered, turning to the radio man. "Call area 51. Tell them to shoot both and I don't give a shit about our deal with the Merc.'s. Bring them down!" The young Captain nodded, fingers working the buttons as the others frowned at the order, exchanging looks. The Sergeant was scowling openly, voice full of disapproval.

"We have rockets. We could have done it."

"Don't bite off more than you can chew. Besides…" Donre shook his head, watching the ships fade into the thick layer of haze that hung over the planet constantly since the war. What was it he felt from that first, smaller ship?

"Yours is not to question." Clearly, the man wanted to push but he knew better and the soldier turned away before his mouth could betray him, listening to their communications man relay orders as the rest of the captives were loaded.

The General lingered a moment despite the urge to hurry, pale eyes thoughtful as he fingered the long, gray and black beard hanging down the front of his flowing black robes. Had he felt something? A tiny wave of energy? Furyan energy? He smiled harshly.

"Soon." He stated icily, turning toward the waiting trucks. "I'll have what was promised to me."


	3. Chapter 3

3.) Jinks and the Girl

"Fire!" The big guns roared as the whine of overworked engines grew louder and both ships managed to duck under the huge bullets as they continued to bump and bang, the bigger one firing again. The smaller vessel took a glancing hit, metal and smoke flying thru the air as it lurched downward, the pilot fighting for control.

"I've got you now, Riddick!" The Merc. Captain screamed gleefully into the open link, pulling his ship overtop the smaller one in a move meant to force it down.

"Sure about that?" The Killer tugging gently on the controls. The smaller aircraft took a smooth lunge upward, ramming the unprotected underbelly of the Merc ship in a ruthless, well timed risk that won him the mid air battle, the move one he was good at judging.

"Did you get that?" Riddick mocked. "Always works."

Smoke and red hot, twisted debris flew out from the impact as the bigger, now crippled ship was knocked backwards, flipping in an end to end spiral towards the rough, dry ground below. The explosion was tremendous, huge bursts of flame and thick black smoke rolling up into the hazy, lime green sky.

"Warning! Incoming! Warning!" The smaller, wounded ship shuddered at the newest injury, vibrating as it began to smoke heavily, inside and out, and Riddick fought for control as the hard, dusty ground of Tanaka Major rose up to meet him. Sparks flew from the consoles, the engines whine now deafening, and then he was falling, trying to glide in on a rough air current he was unfamiliar with.

The beaten up frigate bounced back up as it touched down, nose at a bad angle, and Riddick wrenched the controls, forcing it to level out as he landed. Flames shot up from the instrument panels and dust billowed into the gritty desert sky as the ship came to a jarring stop, nose buried in a large hill of sand.

"Come out with your hands up!"

"You're surrounded! Come out!" The small group of heavily armed soldiers moved toward the smoking ship with caution, not sure what might come out now that life on other planets had been confirmed, and as the ramp began to lower, each of them took an unconscious step backward, raising their weapons.

Dust and thick smoke rolled out like clouds and they noticed first that the pilot seemed human and second, that he didn't seem to be bothered by all the hardware aimed at him anymore than he did the ship burning behind him.

Riddick stepped out slowly and adjusted his goggles as the gusting wind pushed his hood over his face, obscuring most of it.

"Hands up!"

"Who are you?"

"No one has permission to land here!" Riddick's lips almost thinned into a pointed smile.

"I didn't land. You shot me down." The soldiers moved closer, moved together with their fingers on triggers and the convict slowly raised his hands, sharp eyes judging, evaluating, choosing a course of action.

"Who are you?!"

"Are you one of them?" The highest ranking soldier demanded, carrying the presence of someone determined to be cruel no matter how unaggressive the prey, and when he moved boldly closer, Riddick shook his head in warning.

"You're not old enough to play with someone like me, yet." The man flushed as his colleges hid uneasy snickers and he rushed forward in anger, like Riddick had known he would. The Furyan ducked the arm meant to rip off his goggles and blind him,(Ahh, a below the belt fighter!) and wrapped the reckless soldier up tight, knife against his throat.

"Damn!"

"Get back!" The soldiers, all but one young and inexperience, did as he said and then tried to negotiate.

"Let him go and you can too."

"Yeah. We'll trade." Riddick did smile this time. Thinly. His sharp eyes went over their weapons and patches that each green and gray uniform held.

"Who sent you?" Their confusion was evident.

"We're on guard." One of them said sullenly and Riddick let his blade draw a thin line of blood and a moan of pain.

"On guard for who?" More looks of bafflement.

"Aliens." Riddick snorted, arms locked tight around the still struggling soldier.

"That's a name I haven't been called yet. So, you're shooting down anything that flies?" This time he could see they didn't want to answer and he lowered the blade a bit, tone reasonable.

"His life for words. It's a good deal." The captive man's partner shrugged coldly.

"Probably not to Base but it is to me since that's my little brother. We got a call that said two birds were coming our way, to take them down and kill or detain anyone on board." The man looked at him with hard eyes. "They said kill before capture. You must be someone special."

"Yeah, that's me. Mr. Popularity." The convict responded sarcastically, keeping the younger man's body between his and the other men.

"What are you guarding here?"

"A bunker they say but really, we think we're on watch for someone or something." Riddick frowned.

"Who gave the order to shoot us down?" This time there was a firm tilt to chin that said no answer was coming.

"That name I won't give you and not for anything." Riddick nodded, sensing how fearful the old soldier was.

"It was that green eyed General." One of the others stated quietly and the convict filed the information away.

"When I let him go, you're gonna wanna strike back. Don't. Just say I was already gone and save yourselves the headache." He instructed, already knowing it wouldn't happen that way. Ready, he shoved the bleeding man at them and turned away, hearing them move forward together, guns coming up, fingers tightening on triggers.

Riddick dipped low, swinging around and knocked all four guns into the air with one powerful swipe. He immediately swung back the other way, leg out, and in seconds, all four were unarmed and on their asses in the dirt. He raised his goggles to glare at them with flashing eyes.

"Get lost!" He growled and they took off, casting worried looks over their shoulders. Riddick lowered his goggles, shaking his head.

"Those are the guards?" He turned toward the ripped up, rusty metal hangar he'd been on the way to when the Merc. had spotted him entering the atmosphere. "At least Helion Prime's army tried to fight back. Necro.'s woulda wiped these guys out in minutes."

"Kaabbooom!"

The burning frigate exploded into a huge, orange fireball behind him, deadly shrapnel raining down, impaling anything in its path but Riddick didn't flinch as it fell all around him, and he wasn't hit.

The huge warehouse type building had not weathered the war well. Wide, gaping holes in front suggested a rather large blast and Riddick stopped to read what was left of the sign on top of the missing doors as two frigates burned hotly in the flat desert background. Area 51, was all he could make out. Clearly deserted. Aereon's information about the Furyan freighter was wrong. Now he'd have to call the Necro.'s for a ride when it was all over and that was bound to suck because he had no intentions of ever going back to UnderVerse, perfect or not.

Riddick started to move inside, stopped at the scrape of a heavy boot across the ground. He wasn't the only survivor.

"Step away from those doors, Killer." Riddick didn't move, almost smiling. Jinks had friends in the skies and a radio on his belt.

"What doors?"

"Get over here, smart ass!" The Mercenary ordered and Riddick turned slowly, smirking.

"Have a nice ride, Jinks?" The dirty, gun for hire nodded, ignoring the arm dripping blood as he sneered hatefully.

"Yeah, I survived. Your mistake. Get over here and put these cuffs on while I call for a ride." He dropped the silver rings at his feet, raising the gun as he pulled out a control box. "Now." When Riddick took a step forward, the Merc.'s eyes dropped to the screen and the convict immediately ducked and spun into the safe darkness of the hangar.

"Stop!..No!" Riddick moved away from the light.

"Come on, Jinks. You're not afraid of the dark, are you?"

"Slam you, Convict!" The frustrated Merc yelled but Riddick heard the tremor of indecision.

"Right to be scared, Jinks. Only one of us will walk way this time." Jinks said nothing, trying to decide what to do, and Riddick looked around the huge, dusty ship dock. And, found a set of eyes in the darkness. Furyan eyes.

The girl had blended in perfectly and yet, the big man had noticed her right away and they stared at each other in surprise, listening to the furious man outside.

"Come out here!" Riddick waved a hand for the girl to get down and she did it quickly, silently.

"Riddick!" The convict ignored the girl's reaction to his name but noticed it.

"In here, jinks. This is where death finds you!" Riddick threw himself down as gunfire erupted, blasted holes thru the walls.

There was a brief silence and then the sound of reloading, and Riddick frowned at the girl, who hadn't moved. Had she been hit? He moved her way as Jinks stepped into the darkness, the small light on his belt illuminating Riddick. The Merc. grinned, brown curls held back by a dusty red bandana.

"Cost me three of the finest men I ever worked with but I finally nailed you." His grin widened. "And, by accident. What are the chances of that?" Riddick moved his hands toward his goggles and Jinks shook his head.

"Leave 'em on. Shined eyes. Every advantage has a weak side, I guess. Hands in the air." Riddick did it slowly, giving the shadow now moving their way time to get in place.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The paid gun asked happily, all grin. Riddick's voice was cool.

"Thought you'd prefer to die on the ground." Jinks smiled harder, ignoring the threat.

"Thought this was just another boring day of watchin but you, well, you've went and made my day. Ironic they have us lookin for an invasion and then here you…." His eyes went wide, turned cruel.

"Son of a Bitch! The warrior coming to save his people. Never would have thought you were the prophesy type" Another huge grin split his bearded face.

"If they only knew. How many slam's you been in?" Riddick smirked suddenly.

"Enough to know shag when I smell it." The Merc.'s face cooled a little at the insult and he tossed the cuffs at Riddick boots.

"Put them on by the time I count to three or I'll just drag your body back." Jinks snarled, a lot more nervous than he was showing. Except for his tiny belt light, they were alone in the darkness and that was this Killers world.

"One." Riddick saw the shadow nod and stayed still as the Merc.'s finger tightened.

"Two. Put them on!" Riddick sneered at the order.

"Or, what? You ghost me, she ghosts you. Who's body's gettin drug back?" Jinks paled but didn't turn or lower his weapon.

"Bluff. You're trapped and lookin for a way out." Riddick smiled harshly.

"Damn, Jinks. You should know by now I'm not trapped anywhere. It's the reason you used to have a job." The Mercenary smiled uneasily.

"I'm on the payroll. What do you mean, had?" Jinks chanced a quick look over his shoulder to verify the bluff and Riddick moved for the gun. Realizing his mistake, Jinks opened fire, the fast convict hitting the dirt, and then a knife was sliding across his throat and warm wetness was falling to the ground.

"Had, as in, you've been." The girl stated coolly, letting him drop to his knees and Riddick shrugged at the stunned look in the Merc.'s eyes.

"I never bluff." The man fell forward, blood pooling as his belt light was covered, plunging the hangar into comforting darkness.

Knowing instantly that she was a fighter, a hunter, like him, Riddick watched the female Furyan clean her blade on the Merc.'s clothes and when she looked up at him, their eyes locked in the still darkness.

The girl looked young, a teenager with pale blue eyes and red/gold curls and Riddick sent his eyes over her slender figure from head to toe before settling on her flushed face. Wanting to see her better, he raised his goggles and heard her suck in a breath.

"Where can I get eyes like that?" Riddick tensed as pain and longing stung him and he was helpless to give any answer but the familiar one.

"You gotta kill a few people. Get sent to a no daylight slam and have 'em shined so you can see your enemies sneaking up in the dark." Electric sparked between them, two Furyan's finally with someone truly like themselves, but her tone was disappointed.

"So it's true, then. You're a wanted man, a criminal?" He nodded.

"All my life." Not liking the look in her eyes, the I'm gonna ask for something you don't want to give look, he nodded at the body.

"Thanks." The girl nodded in return but hesitated, not sure how to approach after all she'd seen. Riddick chose to get it over with.

"So what's it gonna cost me?" She shrugged, frowning, thinking of how he'd disarmed the soldiers so easily. He likely hadn't needed her help at all.

"A conversation." Expecting more,(The women he was crossing paths with were always wanting more than he was willing to give) he said nothing and her frown grew.

"A short conversation."

"What do you wanna talk about, little girl?" She shook her head, flushing at his suggestive tone but her voice was even.

"I'm just the lookout. Doug's in charge of our group."

"Where?"

"Nearby. Underground. We haven't had news in a long time." She could see he wanted to say no without hearing more and she hurried to use the first plan of action they'd chosen.

"What's an hour? They'll probably feed you and invite you to stay a night if your information's good." He shook his head.

"Don't owe them." A small, surprised smile touched her firm young lips.

"But, I do. Will you come?" She looked around. "They could be persuaded to meet you here if you prefer but the soldiers will show up soon. The smoke will draw them even if the tales from their men don't." Her words told him she had seen his arrival and he nodded, wondering if her people knew anything that would be of use to him.

"One hour." Riddick turned toward the back of the torn up hangar and the girl watched him almost guilty as he went inside the largest stall. She followed slowly, admiring the way he blended into the darkness like he was a part of it, and when he went to the wall they'd all spent time in front of, she felt a connection with him that made up her mind. He was the one they needed, criminal or not. These were dangerous times and he was clearly a dangerous man. Maybe one would balance the other.

Riddick's eyes went over the foreign language, wishing he knew it, wishing he knew more about himself than just the tidbits he'd gleaned from Aereon's disc. His gaze locked onto the small Furyan symbol in the top corner. A bluish hand.

"That's the foretelling. They saw a Seer was on the royal battlecruiser that used to be here. This wall is a record of her words. It speaks of WorldEnders and a great warrior searching for what was lost. It says he'll come here to claim what's his. The signs mentioned have started happening. That's why we've come. To meet you." Riddick's face tightened.

"How much didn't she tell me this time?" He muttered. "This is why the soldiers are on guard. They're expecting someone."

"Yes. They started a world war to destroy the top side so that when the WorldEnders came, they'd see only a dead planet and pass by, letting the government remain hidden. In the process, they became the worldEnders spoken of on this wall. Millions of Tanaka's citizens were killed in the war."

"Might have worked if the Necromongers were still a problem. Looks like they did it for nothing." Her eyes swung to his.

"They've been defeated? The warrior exists?" His lips thinned.

"Yeah. They got the point." She looked at him for a long moment, perhaps seeing things he didn't want her to, and she turned toward the door, knowing instinctively not to push until there was a bond between them. That there would be, she had no doubt. She'd known him for mere minutes and already knew he was more like her than her own people were.

"The ship in here was a Furyan freighter. They took it out just before the war to prevent a mass exodus so they could keep us here and make us fight for them. The ship was big." She looked back at him, hiding the relief that he was on her heels and listening. She did bluff. "Maybe Doug knows where they hid it."

"What about the people? Anyone know where they went?"

"Lots of rumors. Doug can tell you more but I know there was a traitor. One of us." Not surprised, he shrugged.

"Usually is."

"Donre works with the soldiers, has since he came, I've been told. Now he's a General and leads the hunt survivors. Many of our kind have died at his hands." Riddick's mind went to the soldiers and captives he'd seen from the air. There had been a man in the group that had drawn his eye.

"You have a large group?" She shook her head and he noticed she didn't say it was Doug's group, filed it away. "No. Few escaped both the war and Donre."

"So you've gathered here because someone told you a hero was coming to save you?" She flushed at the contempt in his tone.

"No. We don't a need a hero. Just a ride off this dead world. We'll save ourselves." He said nothing else as they stepped into the light and when he lowered his hood, she sucked in a breath, eyes locked on his face.

"See a ghost?" He asked sarcastically and she nodded.

"One thought long gone." She turned away. "Doug will fill you in once the usual stupid male pleasantries are out of the way." She dropped into an open sewer hole near the rear of Area 51 without hesitation, trying to melt into the darkness like he did, and Riddick followed, frowning, trying not to compare her to the female that lurked in his mind now almost constantly. That girl was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

4.) A short conversation

They hadn't gone far through the reeking tunnel when she stopped, turned to him.

"In this new world, all of us have rolls to play but things are not always what they seem. Suspicion usually hides hope." She held his gaze for a moment and he shrugged.

"Or, guilt." The girl nodded, got moving.

"We have our share of that too." Riddick was frowning at the contrast between her young age and the maturity of her tone, and he watched her slide back a wooden board painted so well that his sharp eyes hadn't noticed. She looked over her shoulder.

"One hour." She slipped inside without waiting for a reply and Riddick's frown grew at the huge stone room and curious, worried faces he could see. He stepped to the doorway and let his eyes do their work, picking out escapes. Two wide tunnels at each end of the upper level that ran the length of the room, two smaller tunnels on the ground floor and a narrow drainage grate on the floor as a last resort. It was more than he usually had and he stepped inside, pulling the board shut.

All noise had ceased except for the popping of the small fire in the center of the dirty, stinking, smoky room and Riddick evaluated as the people gaped at him. Roughly 30, few women, thin, hard bodies and sullen, scared faces. Weak. Lots of teenagers, second generation Furyan's that would have no real knowledge of what had happened before they were born. Only a half dozen were even old enough to remember their homeworld and he sighed, lowered his hood. The ones he was looking for were not here.

"Who is he?"

"Is this a trick?"

"What the hell's going on?" The murmurs grew loud and the girl waved a hand as Riddick continued to look around.

"I've brought someone to talk. I've extended the traditional Furyan hospitality."

"You had no right to do that without our consent!" One of the men around the fire hissed, middle age face bitter, and Riddick watched the girl's blue eyes darken.

"I have every right. My blood's as true as yours, Neil." She looked at the big red head sitting next to him.

"I did what I thought best. You know I only have our goal at heart." The large, heavily bearded man looked at Riddick for a long moment, green eyes unreadable even to the convict, and the girl kept going.

"He has news of the WorldEnders, says they've been defeated, and he's a pilot. Saw it with my own eyes." There was more interest now and Riddick couldn't resist adding more fuel to the fire.

"You forgot escaped Convict and Murderer." The reaction was what he'd expected. Angry. After all, everyone here had Furyan blood, even if it was weak. He could feel that but it was still a disappointment to finally be with people like himself only to discover they really weren't.

"You brought a killer here?"

"We have to silence him!"

"He can't be the one were waiting for!"

"I never said he was!" The girl shouted, causing silence to fall and Riddick amended his thought. Maybe one here was almost like him.

"Wouldn't rule it out either." She stated clearly, moving to her place along the far wall. "I brought him because he's a pilot. Maybe we can come to terms." She paused to look around. "Or, have you forgotten that none of us fly?" There was a thick silence and Doug stared at the girl for another of those long, searching moments before turning toward Riddick, studded club riding along his huge hip.

"Furyan hospitality aint what it used to be. I'm Douglas. For now, these are my sheep." Neither man hesitated or flinched at the shake.

"Sorry for your headache. Riddick." Again, the group erupted.

"That's a lie!"

"Maybe she's right."

"It's a trick! That name is well known among our kind. Anyone could claim that!" Neil stated harshly, and Doug glared at Riddick

"You claim to be the Heir of Furya?"

"I claim nothing. There's a bounty on my head here, too?" Doug looked back with eyes that saw no lie.

"On that name. It's the Royal Family's." Riddick's face tightened.

"Coincidence."

"Not likely." The girl challenged from behind him. "Looks and name? No way."

"It's another of Donre's traps." Neil accused and many heads nodded in agreement.

"Not if he bears the mark." The girl insisted, eyes unreadable as Riddick turned to look at her, and Doug nodded, missing little.

"Until he claims it, we won't ask for proof." He waved a big hand. "Have a seat. Someone get a tray." People moved back as the convict slowly headed for a corner wall that had no blind spot and the teens sitting there rushed to get out of his way. They didn't know him by his infamous reputation but danger lined his every movement and it was unmistakeable that he was someone to be careful of.

"So, you're a pilot?" Doug asked, taking a bench nearby and Riddick shrugged, seeing the men on guard on the upper level watching him and not the tunnels. Weak.

"Among other things."

"Are you for hire?" Riddick's lips thinned.

"Most men have a price."

"And, to fly a group of people from one planet to another?" The convict looked pointedly at the people who were listening closely and not even pretending otherwise.

"Depends on the level of responsibility. I don't work well with others."

"We will fend for ourselves!" Neil stated arrogantly from Doug's right and Riddick nodded.

"I assume you mean Furya?" There were nods and looks of longing from the half a dozen older Furyan's.

"Yes. Us and a few more we'll pick up." Riddick met the girl's eyes for a silent moment of communication that drew Neil's attention, made him frown. Were they bonding already? It was quick with their kind sure, but this quick?

"We might be able to work something out." He said finally. "After I finish my business." Doug nodded, wondering if the girls instincts hadn't been right on.

"What is it? Maybe we can help." Riddick snorted.

"Use it as a bargaining chip, you mean." Doug didn't blink.

"Aye. Maybe." Liking the big man despite the clear sense there was a lot not being said, Riddick nodded.

"Nothin's free on any world. I'm lookin for my family." The whispering grew louder again and Doug frowned.

"You won't make the claim. Maybe you are one of Donre's spies." Riddick shrugged, raised his goggles so they could see the contempt in his flashing eyes.

"Would it matter? I know you heard what was happening a few sewers over but you stayed low, didn't help your own, and you've done nothing about the traitor." Doug flushed as angry words flew thought the air.

"We had our own families to protect!"

"Donre's always guarded!" "We can barely protect ourselves!" Riddick nodded, letting his voice carry.

"Every man, woman, and child for themselves is what it comes down to if I agree to take you out of here. You get the same deal they got." Riddick moved back toward the hidden door, ready to leave or make them think he was so his anger would give him the edge, and the girl was there to slide in front of him, leaning against the board.

"You have my regret. For those of us born here, it's a shame we carry for our parents. It's a debt we'd right." Riddick said nothing but his eyes were flat with denial.

"You loath us for our weaknesses and hate it that we'll slow you down and expect things from you but there are advantages too." Her matter of fact words, that odd contrast again, had Riddick's attention despite the urge to run.

"Like what?"

"We know the land, the people, the hiding places. We'll help during fights and we're loyal to our fellow man. I'll personally kill any who aren't." No one interrupted, all clearly willing to let this girl barter their future. Week. He shook his head.

"Not enough, little girl. What else ya got?"

"A ship. Maybe."

"Maybe?" She nodded.

"It's the Furyan freighter from the hangar. We know where they hid it. It's waiting for us. And, a pilot."

"Hummm…" He looked around.

"I'd keep the ship?" People were nodding, frowning, wearing disappointed looks, and the girl moved away from the door, headed back to her place in the shadows.

"Yes, and our assistance in finding what you came for. The sooner off this dead rock, the better."

A slender blond of bout 40 brought out a tray and the girl intercepted it, tried each dish, opened both beers and drank from them, the actions telling Riddick they didn't have trust among them. She came to Doug first, waiting while he took one of each, and then stopped in front of Riddick, locked eyes with him.

"You remember what I told you in the tunnel?"

"Things are not always what they seem." She smiled.

"My word is good. The others may not like it but tradition says they must obey and they will. If we get to this place and find no ship, we'll go our separate ways with no argument." He grunted, not wanting the job anymore than he had getting the survivors of the Hunter Grazier off that damn flying death planet and yet, they had something he wanted and he would do what he had to in order to get it. At least this way, there would be no Necro.'s to be dealt with after and no Merc.'s to follow them to Furya.

"A ride. That's it?" She nodded without hesitation, ignoring the quiet protests of the fearful people around them.

"Yes. You look for family. We long for home. It's a good deal."

"And, you won't try to hold me when it's over?" Her young face iced over with a speed and complete coldness that impressed him.

"Why would we? You won't claim your birthright but you do claim to be a convicted murderer so when it's over, we'll expect you to go away." She stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "But, it's shitty to walk out on your own people. Just so we're clear."

"I have no people!" He tossed it back quickly, mocking her. "And isn't it just as shitty to hold information on someone's family like a payday?" She flushed but stood her ground.

"Would you have agreed any other way?" His lips twisted.

"No." Riddick let out a low sigh that rumbled deep in his throat. "You have a pilot, little girl. That's it. No Hero, no Leader. Just a flyboy." She nodded, eyes unreadable.

"That's all we need from you. We'll do the rest ourselves."


	5. Chapter 5

5.) Off with a Bang

"Where?" She studied him for a long moment, clearly considering how much to tell and she finally looked at Doug, who nodded.

"In the Badlands." Riddick raised a brow.

"That's sounds good." Doug grinned, drank to cover his unease as the warrior's intense, bluish eyes swung to him.

"It's great if you like freak storms, thick haze, odd temperatures, and rough ground."

"How rough?"

"Too bad for vehicles, even if the soldiers couldn't track them." Riddick shrugged.

"Have to do it the hard way then. How far from here?"

"Four hundred clicks to the boarder, another 250 to reach the right place."

"Any chance of slipping thru?" Doug snorted, voice rueful.

"None. We're not Defenders."

"Hadn't noticed." Doug grinned at the joke.

"Really? You'd be the only one." His smile faded. "It's a hard trip. We had deaths."

"And, are all those lives we lost worth going back with only a flyboy?" Neil demanded arrogantly and Doug frowned at him.

"And, you suggest, what?" Caught off guard, Neil wasn't sure what to say and their leader nodded.

"It's just a matter of time before Donre finds us here, waiting. We're almost out of food and water. We've waited as long as we could, so yes, a pilot is enough." Neil nodded, face bitter.

"Just so we're clear. We're going back because the Warrior didn't show, not because he's arrived!" The angry man disappeared down one of the lower tunnels with a tall, thin man sporting a huge snake tattoo on his arm.

"What's his problem?" Doug's eyes went to the girl for a moment and then he shrugged.

"Among other things, he expected more than just you. He thinks the warrior will show up with an army to save us." Riddick ignored his guilt, moved to the bench, sat down, and Doug joined him.

"Sometimes a few good crew are better than an army."

"Aye." Doug nodded, held out his beer. "To youth and all the wonderful adventures that came with it." Riddick shrugged, but raised his own.

"If you say so." They drank and the girl faded back into the shadows around the edge of the small group that was constantly shuffling as they packed, gathered, listened.

"We need to make some plans to get us to the boarder." Riddick said nothing and could feel her frown at him.

"We'll need supplies."

"You'll need more than that. All these people won't make it even without all those soldiers on your neck." Doug's nod was resigned.

"We had hoped more of our kind would come but Donre and the war took a heavy toll on all populations."

"We'll make a call." Kyle stated quietly and Doug shook his head, frowning at the darkly colored and dressed teenager.

"They track the energy, boy. You know that." Kyle nodded.

"Yes, I do. There's only one problem."

"Only one?" Doug asked sarcastically and the teenager stiffened but didn't back down.

"Once we make the call, they won't come. Too many of us were lured in by calls during the war that were ambushes."

"They'd come if Riddick called them." Her voice floated out of the shadows behind them, the fire starting to die down, and they turned to see her staring with hard, unreadable eyes.

"Even if they did, so would Donre and his soldiers. We can't fight him. Not just us." She nodded.

"It's a risk. We have to hope our help shows up before the enemy. If not, we'll make a run for it and probably die trying. At least we won't still be here, waiting for a rescue that's not coming." Riddick looked at her, admiring her nerve.

"And, if no help comes at all?" She moved toward him.

"Then we'll kill as many as we can on the way down. Probably all gonna die on this damn planet anyway." Doug was quiet, weighing the consequences as the girl placed herself at Riddick's feet, staring at her hands in a way that made both men frown, but for different reasons.

"We'll get away from here, pick an area where we have the advantage, and make the call. At least we'll know the fight's coming." Almost everyone was frowning, muttering, questioning. He looked at the girl.

"You have a place in mind?"

"The old refinery due south. We're there in three days on foot." Doug hesitated and she shrugged. "Just thought we could drain the tanks and use it to set a welcome for Donre." Riddick grinned, couldn't resist.

"Thinks big, doesn't she?" Doug nodded, not smiling.

"Yeah. Smart girl. Brains and mouth. Still…" Doug considered, seeing the reluctant eyes of his sheep and he shook his head.

"Sounds like a bad idea to me but I'm in. If we get Donre, dying's o.k." Clearly there were people who didn't agree and Doug's voice was firm as he looked around them.

"If you're going, be ready. We won't wait once we get moving. If you're not, good luck to you." The big red head stood up. "We leave at dawn." He headed to gather his own things and many people followed, talking quietly with him about their plans.

"You forgot something." Riddick's voice was like ice and the girl shook her head.

"No, I didn't. Only want you to make the call. Don't expect you to live up to it." He was frowning.

"You'd call, make them think it's true, and tell them it's not when they arrive?" She flushed, nodded.

"Yes. I'll handle that then." Riddick shrugged, seeing neil come back alone.

"It's your party. I'm just the driver." She looked at him, eyes bitter.

"And, you meant it? No help for us along the way?"

"I never bluff." Her eyes narrowed, grew cold.

"And, if we help you find what you came for? Will you not owe us a large debt?" He said nothing and she nodded. "Your help would be payment." He shook his bald head.

"You don't get me on credit, little girl. No proof what I came for even exists." She snorted, bluffing.

"We don't know you're worth the trouble. Maybe you're not so much good as lucky." His face twisted at that.

"Yeah. Real fucking..." He tilted his head, listening hard and she did the same.

"Someone's coming." Riddick shook his head, lowered his goggles.

"Already here." Resigned to at least getting them out of here so the trip could begin, Riddick pointed.

"Upper tunnels. Get them in there. It'll happen fast."

Doug and the teenagers nearby rushed to cover the fire with a flat, wooden board to hide the smoke and light and the hard concrete room was plunged into darkness but it wasn't complete, many of the tired refugee's wearing colored neon rings around their necks that allowed for a very limited light that Riddick was sure the girl had thought of, her purple loop among the first to be put around her neck.

The girl stayed by Riddick, watching him pull pieces of strange metal from his pockets and twist them together to form a long, intricately carved staff, the top, an eerie, three sided head with three moaning faces. Heavy footsteps echoed loudly through the sewer, hard to tell from which direction, and the group of refugees began to panic, shoving at each other in the race to get to the top tunnels like they were being told.

Riddick thrust the staff into the stone near the center of the room and clicked the handle. Immediately, a glowing orb shot into the air above them, bathing the coming battle field in pale blue light as the soldiers began pouring in, spotting the fleeing Furyan's, firing.

"Red heads!" A voice commanded from the safety of a tunnel. "Don't miss one! Move in!"

Most of the refugee's had made it to the upper levels, leaving only Doug, Riddick, and the Girl on the ground floor that was now crawling with soldiers shooting knock out darts, and they moved forward together, instinctively moving as a team, Doug and Riddick protecting the girl as she cut down anyone who got in their way with beautiful swipes of her knife and strong kicks. She led them toward the shadows behind the stone steps, knowing they'd be harder to hit there, and men began to fall as the soldiers on the other side of the room opened fire without thinking.

The trio stayed low, moving fast and Doug cleared their flank with vicious, surprise hits from his studded club. Those on the upper level were racing to the tunnels but a few did think to provide cover fire for their members still on the ground floor, now nearing the steps and it allowed the trio to succeed against huge numbers, their enemies not taking any chances by coming light.

"Move in!" The second shout echoed above the din and then fresh screams and grunts came as a new wave of soldiers invade through the upper tunnels, trapping the fleeing refugee's. Darts began to fly now that they were trapped and people began to fall.

Seeing the neatly laid ambush, Riddick moved faster, lunging not for the front of the steps but the back, climbing them easily. Protected from the darts and sporadic gunfire zinging thru the air, he slammed a spike grenade on a middle step and kept going as the Necro. apple dug into the concrete. The other two were close behind him now and more soldiers headed for them, firing.

Riddick swung himself up onto the upper landing, grabbing surprised soldiers and throwing them into the groups of men coming up the steps, knocking some down and slowing the others.

"Pull the pin!" He ordered, firing down the steps, trying to clear it so the other two,(The girl) could swing around.

Riddick let himself go, knife in hand and he gored, impaled, sliced, and kicked, moved the soldiers back despite overwhelming numbers and then Doug and the girl were up and racing for the tunnels, clubbing, shooting, and stabbing their way past soldiers who'd trapped the others in the darkness.

"Kerrwooossshhhh!" The grenade went off suddenly, blowing chunks of step and men in every direction and cutting off the two merging halves of the platoon.

Donre watched unbelievingly as his army knocked out almost all the captives and then got cut off from them. Mostly by one man. His pale green eyes narrowed. The one from the ship? Yes. From the prophesy as well? The globe suspended in the dense air of the stone room swelled, color deepening, and it gave Donre a chill. He didn't like it and the wise General let his instincts guide him. He began to back up and the Sergeant at his side followed without realizing he was doing so.

Riddick took a small box from his pocket, slid against the inside of a tunnel.

"Let's play." He hit the button as he turned away and the others did the same as the powerful Orb did it's nasty work.

The explosion was like that of a pressure wave from a nuclear weapon and the impact was tremendous, driving everything in it path either out or downward as it slammed back to the ground next to the staff.

Chunks of walls were blown out, shrapnel and grunts of pain whistling through the smoky air, and then there was only dust, darkness, and silence.

They stepped back out into a room they no longer recognized, only a few of the refugee's not dazed by darts. Almost nothing stood except the walls and as they watched, a large section of the ceiling collapsed, sending a thick cloud of dust and smoke rolling their way. Blood was sprayed across the debris, body parts strewn about the crumbling stone walls but most of the dead were centered around the staff.

"What the hell was that?" Neil demanded as Riddick and the girl dropped to the lower floor and her tone was full of admiration that made Riddick look at her.

"A perfect weapon." They shared a brief moment of common ground that she broke, turning to pull the staff from the cracked, blackened stone, taking it apart with no trouble.

"You could have killed us." Neil insisted and Riddick's face tightened at the accusation. When he looked around, he saw what he usually did no matter who it was. Even those waking up relieved to be free, were afraid of him.

"Perhaps you'd like the soldiers back." He asked dryly. No one spoke and he shrugged, tiring of the pretense.

"Lot of trouble I don't need. Maybe I'll just go to the caves and do some searching on my own." The girl paled, swung around. She clearly hadn't considered that.

"You know?" His lips thinned.

"You don't think I'd come here empty handed, do you? Your value just dropped." Her eyes grew foggy, distant, and then she did what he least expected. She begged.

"Please. We'll keep up. Don't leave us behind." His face tightened and he tried to harden himself against her.

"It's not my fight. You have nothing I need."

"We have the ship."

"Maybe." She sighed.

"Yes, Maybe. We'll fend for ourselves and when more of us come, we'll be stronger, just please, take us with you." Riddick looked away, hating it that he couldn't just walk, that she reminded him too much of another girl who'd pleaded for the same thing and ended up dead when he'd refused. Riddick grunted.

"I'm headed south, toward that refinery. I'll be movin. You keep up that far, we'll make your call but if they don't show, I'm gone. Without help, we'll all die and I didn't come here for that." She nodded, relieved, and she looked at Doug. They didn't need to speak and Riddick filed it away, thinking maybe they were related.

"We're not going." The head of a small family said it first and then others echoed him.

"Neither are we."

"Same here." The voices came from the weaker people, those with kids or medical conditions, and Doug nodded.

"You have our hope. You'll stay together, head for the ship?" There were nods and the first man who'd spoken, a short, bald Furyan with violet eyes under his glasses, stepped forward, wife and young twin sons behind him. He held out a hand that Doug shook with emotion.

"Until the end." The two men hugged, the slender blond cook embracing his timid, also short and violet eyed spouse, and then the group of 12 slipped off, heading for a tunnel that ran west. Riddick watched the girl watch them vanish into the darkness.

"They might slide through." She shrugged, eyes hard.

"They have my hope for sure but we both know better." She turned to look at him.

"There's only a dozen of us now. Does that make any difference?" He shook his head.

"No. Convince your people to look elsewhere for a leader, little girl. I just don't want the job."


	6. Chapter 6

6.) Soldiers & Slavers

"Do they believe you now?" The Sergeant asked quietly as the two men moved up the hall that everyone else was headed down and the green eyed General nodded.

"Yes, but it won't matter. They've made a plan and they'll die by it. The Trackers have been released." The man paled.

"The Maneaters? Outside the Badlands?"

"Yes, and until we have a location, our orders are shoot to kill."

The ground shook beneath them, yet another tremor ripping the earth apart around the big bunker, and all through the concrete walls, lights flickered, alarms blared, the floor buckled in places, and panicked soldiers ran to get to their posts, yet these two men had no trouble getting through the mass of humanity. They beat their way where it was necessary and when it wasn't, the screams making people look and move out of their way.

"What about you? What will you do?" Donre looked at his newest right hand man with cool, green eyes.

"Don't you mean, what are we to do?" The sergeant held his ground despite the urge to cave.

"I follow orders." The General looked at him for a long moment, coming to a decision, and then he nodded, increased his pace.

"As do I. We'll help clear the gates and get the Hummers out. We're to go to Santa Quarry Detention center to interrogate a prisoner. The Sergeant frowned, shoving a slower man out of his way.

"They still have them at Alien Alley after everyone finding out they were there?" Donre shrugged.

"Apparently so. We go to find out information they already have from me. Your government thinks to be ready but does nothing. I've worked with them for 30 years and I still don't understand them." The lower ranked man nodded as they stepped out into very dim sunlight and gusting wind.

"That's something we have in common." His tone made it and insult and the General nodded, returning the rudeness openly.

"Yes. Good thing there aren't many of those."

By early morning, the group of refugee's following Riddick had cleared the desert and were moving together like a badly trained platoon, following hastily thrown glow loops the girl was using to mark the path thru the oddly colored, knee high grass. They hadn't stopped since leaving the sewer, not even for a break in the shade of a dying tree, and they ate as they moved, only the healthiest still running, too tired and sweaty to be cold despite the chill in the air. Tori however, was on Riddick's heels, determined to keep up as long as she could, knowing it wouldn't be enough. She was in good shape but not getting to eat regularly and she would have to work up to a continuous run. That she would, she had no doubt. She already loved flying along behind the big man that never hesitated, never chose wrong, never looked back.

"Fuck!" She was looking over the side of the deep gorge that Riddick had just cleared like it was 5 instead of 20. She'd have to do the same. No time to climb it like the rest would have to do.

Riddick had turned at her shout of frustration and he gave her a goodbye wave that had her backing up, eyes never leaving his as she dropped a loop and got set. They'd agreed to keep their abilities to themselves for now but she had no choice here. He was already turning away.

Riddick watched her from the corer of his eye, impressed with the height she got on the jump, and as it occurred to him that she'd moved with the breeze, she began to glide over the void. Not jump. Glide.

The angry convict moved in a blur and was there to catch her as she cleared the gap, one big hand wrapping around her bare thigh, the other grabbing her by the neck.

"You're an Elemental!" He gave the startled girl a rough shake, thinking of her actions in the sewer, how calculated they'd been. "Another Fucking Elemental!" He took a step, dangled her over the edge, granite voice furious.

"Tell me the odds of me letting your ass fall!" Despite the awkward position, the girl raised a hand to her face and blew gentle clouds of rolling red dust along her fingertips.

"The odds are good..." She looked up at him with eyes that were familiar in their casualness. "That you'd come down and get me if you did." Hating it that she was right, Riddick tossed her onto the dusty embankment like she weighed nothing.

"An army tryin to kill me, a prophesy, weak people lookin for a hero, Elemental's. Why the Fuck does this seem so familiar?" He turned away. "All I need now is another Merc. and some monsters and I'm right back where I started."

Just before dusk, Neil caught up with the girl as she hunkered down behind a low row of twisted trees, Riddick in the shadows ahead of her. It was the first time he had stopped.

"What's he doing?" She didn't answer, waiting to see if the soldiers had heard his arrival, and Neil spotted the two guards outside the bunker hole he hadn't noticed because of the very tall, yellow weeds.

"Waiting."

"Why doesn't he just kill…" Bitterness flooded his face and she nodded.

"He leaves it to us." They stilled as one of the men turned toward them and when he looked away, Tori drew her knife, watching Riddick start moving silently thru the shadows past them. His movements were slow, graceful. No way the rest of them could do it like that. She met Neil's eye.

"You go right. I'm left." He nodded, face pale, and she stood up, stepped out into the open.

"Hey, guys! Know where there's a shag house nearby?" The two men were dirty, faces pit covered, and all grins as they lowered their guns, moved toward her.

"Right here, baby!"

"You need a job?"

"I need someone to clean up the mess I made." They looked confused but didn't see the threat as they got in range.

"What mess?" The girl threw her knife hard, Neil's right behind hers, and the two men fell in almost perfect rhythm, dying before they knew what mistake they'd made.

"That one." She met Riddick's eye as she ripped her knife from dead flesh and was able to understand him perfectly when he shrugged. 'Not what I was hired for. Not my fight.' He turned, took off at a fast pace, and she swallowed her anger to follow, Neil on her heels.

As darkness started to settle over the lightly wooded area, the entire group was walking together tiredly, the girl n the front, eyes straining for a track, Doug, Neil, and Kyle bringing up the rear. The gathered up glow loops were around necks to be able to tell their shadows from any strangers they might encounter out here in the dark wilderness, and the three rear men were talking lowly, the rest too beat to even complain.

"We should stop for the night. They're exhausted and he's long gone." Kyle shook his head, seeing Tori point at something he sure hoped was a footprint.

"We have to catch up." Neil looked at Doug.

"What do you think?" The large man hated the ugly feeling of the overgrown weeds they were walking thru and he sighed, forcing his feet to keep moving.

"Wanna stop. Not gonnna. We don't catch up tonight, he is long gone." Kyle nodded.

"He'll know we can't do it." Neil was still looking at Doug.

"Can we?" Doug's voice was grim.

"I wouldn't want the girl to calculate the odds on it yet." They all looked up suddenly as the girl took off running, two other teenagers following, and the rear men picked up the pace as the group got more and more spread out.

"Help!"

"Riddick!" He heard their cries clearly despite the distance he'd put between them and only slowed a little. The sky was darkening, the rain moving closer, and the convict told himself to just keep going. It wasn't his fight.

Thunder rolled overhead, shaking the very ground he stood on, and then Riddick's sharp ears picked up the quiet hum of an aircraft. A ship. That he needed. That was an okay reason to go back for them. A second later, he was flying thru the damp shadows, angry and unwilling to face why.

"Think any of them saw us come down?" Riddick faded into the foggy area behind the hovering ship.

"In this haze? No way." The first Slaver wasn't satisfied, voice on edge.

"They say their yes are different, better."

"Not their ears though, cause we got two already and here comes a third. Get the darts ready."

"Machine on?"

"Yeah, light's green. They'll only see dark land."

"Good." The captain lingered in the doorway, clutching his half empty bottle.

"Let me know when you've got 'em all." He turned away, muttering. "Deal's like this are bad karma. What the hell was I thinking?"

"Here she comes. Red hair. Good shape." The five men hunkered down, raising their guns and Riddick moved closer. He could hear the girl's full out, I'm coming to the rescue run, and he paused, taking off his goggles to stare hard at the tops of tall, dead trees, blue eyes flashing brightly.

"Down! Down! Down!"

The ugly vultures flew up from the trees right in front of the girl and she heard the word in their upset cawing, threw herself to the dusty ground as she rolled right, and felt something go soaring over her head. She eased toward the rusted metal fence that ran along the trees, staying low as her heart thumped. Had Riddick just saved her? She edged closer, then stopped at the vices, peering thru the torn up links and rust colored weeds.

Riddick had slid between the twisted stumps and branches that two of the Slavers were using as cover and he stepped out in front of them, long knife in each black gloved hand. He immediately spun, firing, and dropped below the barrage of bullets and darts as the other three men opened fire.

The noise drew the captain back to the doorway just in time to see the last of his men fall, and then the goggle wearing stranger was firing at him, and he was hit, knocked back into the cool darkness of his ship. Smoke poured from consoles hit by wild gunfire and the ship shuddered, illusion machine flickering.

The girl stayed down, listening for a sign it was all right to get up but there was only the steadily growing whine of the ships engines and a thick silence. Impatient, worried, young, she began to inch into view, eyes surprised at the battlefield and she quickly scanned the heavily armed bodies. None of them were Riddick.

She stood up, meaning to free the slowly waking people, then froze as she heard a noise, a step. Was someone watching her from inside the smoking ship? Tori threw herself back down into the high weeds but knew it was too late. She shouldn't have come out yet.

"Well, you sure explain some things. Come on out, Red, or I'll open up on ya." The Captain stumbled down the bloody gangway, shoulder bleeding heavily down and thru his brown swede jacket as he clutched his gun, dropped bottle forgotten.

"Where's your boyfriend?" He worried, eyes darting around nervously.

"Tap, tap, tap, tap." The wounded Slaver turned to see Riddick leaning casually against the dark, smoking doorway he'd just come out of, curved, bloody blade held loosely along one leg. His tone was lecturing.

"You made three mistakes. First, they made a lot of noise. Second, you got too spread out, but your worst mistake, was coming out before the danger was gone." The snarling slaver raised his gun.

"Got you, don't I?" Riddick nodded toward the girl, granite voice full of contempt.

"I was talkin to her. You made too many mistakes to count." The domed captain fired as Riddick jumped, throwing his knife as bullets flew into the defenseless ship. The blade sank deep into the Slaver's chest as sparks flew from the open door and the dead man fired again as he fell backwards off the ramp.

Flames shot out of the whining ship, along with more sparks and smoke and then, the hover mode blew out and the freighter plunged the ten feet to the ground with a loud, earthshaking thud, sending thick clouds of dust and smoke rolling out in every direction.

Ignoring the group now catching up, the girl moved toward the wreckage, unable to see much for the smoke and fire. The older ship mostly fallen apart as it hit the ground and when she started to wade thru the burning, melting debris, Neil was there to grab her arm, pull her back.

"Let go! I have to see if he's all right!" Neil held her tighter, blood pumping with jealousy as she struggled. They were bonding already. Tori spun in a neat, fast movement, twisting his hand up behind his back until he let go, and when she headed for the wreckage, he grabbed her by the shoulder, jerked her back angrily.

Full of worry and frustration, Tori swung from her hip, hitting Neil in the eye and knocking him on his ass in the dirt. She turned back to where Riddick had disappeared and stopped, seeing him watching her thru the thick smoke. He was covered in dust and ash, scratched and bleeding lightly in places, and he met her eye, shook his head at the gratefulness he read there.

"I came back for the ship." Heavy flames lapped at his feet and Riddick moved away from the red hot, twisted gangplank, heading back the way he'd come from.

"Slaver's are same as Merc's, only greedier." He muttered sarcastically. "Where's the monster I asked for?"

The refugee's knew his camp only by the pale blue glow loop hanging from the branch of a dying tree and there were words of relief when Riddick stepped out of the darkest shadows, blue eyes glowing.

"Thought you guys had given up, went back." He shrugged, finishing an energy bar. "There's always tomorrow." People began to move toward him, setting things down, and were quickly stopped.

"Wait." "Over there." Doug waved a beefy arm at a nearby spot.

"There. Get some sleep."

"I see you understand the rules." Neil nodded, face and tone bitter.

"Yes. If something else goes wrong, anything else, we're on our own and until then, we just happen to be traveling the same path." Riddick nodded.

"Just so there's no misunderstanding." He turned back toward the shadows, not bothering to lower his voice. "Better hole up with 'em somewhere or leave 'em behind. They die if they follow me. I've lost everyone I've ever known."

"Because you didn't help them, didn't care enough." Neil accused and tensed when Riddick paused to look over his shoulder.

"You do the caring and the helping. I'm not interested." Neil's pale face flushed and he looked away.

"I'm not enough for this and I know it." Riddick's eyes went over the sloppy, wasteful group and he shook his head.

"Why bother? Alone, you and a few of the others stand a chance at surviving." Neil turned away.

"If we're alone, what's the point?"

The girl had to wait only an hour for her people to fall into deep sleeps and she backed slowly into the high weeds at her feet, eyes glowing with determination. She'd been seen by Doug, no way to avoid his sharp eyes, but she was almost sure Riddick hadn't noticed her vanishing act.

There was no fire to give her away, no noise, no moon's light, and she pushed herself to be good, to be Furyan. She emerged in the darkest part of the shadows, very near where the convict lounged against a huge boulder. Before she could stand up, his granite voice rang out.

"Sneaking into a man's camp alone could be a dangerous thing to do, little girl." Tori swallowed her groan but couldn't hide her surprise, her awe, and his words drew immediate attention from those still awake in the other camp.

Peggy raised her head to see the girl step from the darkness to face Riddick and before she could call out and stop anything that might happen, Doug was there to lay a quieting hand on her shoulder.

"Let her be, woman. She's trying to reach a place the rest of us can't." Peggy frowned, voice a low mutter of worry. Related or not, she still cared for the girl.

"Yeah, and we both know where that place is." Doug sighed, nodded.

"Aye, maybe, but she went to him and we'll let her try."

"Thanks for coming back." Tori sat down near Riddick's booted feet, ignoring her growling stomach like most of her people were doing tonight.

"I wanted the ship."

"You had it when he came down to get me." He said nothing and she shrugged.

"A thanks anyway, no matter your intentions." His answer was to toss her a pouch he'd taken from one of the unlucky Slaver's and lay down, hands under his head.

The girl put one of the hard biscuits in her own pack and then tossed the bag to Doug, not needing to look at Neil to know she'd given him a black eye and he was glowering at her with it.

"Why won't you help us? We're just as much victims as those who were on Furya." He closed his eyes, words almost a growl.

"Not my fight!" There was a thick silence and when she broke it, her voice was low.

"Please, don't run so far ahead tomorrow. I feel bad things on the wind." Quiet met her plea and she let out a frustrated sigh.

"Will you at least kick the shag out of me when you wake up so we won't get so far behind?" Riddick's lips twitched.

"Maybe you should be in charge over there." Tori snorted.

"Yeah, a female as boss. Like they'd let that happen." She looked at the two men now sitting together with unreadable eyes, missing Riddick's look of interest. "Besides, they do a good job." He turned his face back to the sky as she looked his way.

"If you say so." She took the opening as eagerly as he'd known she would.

"What else should they do?"

"Go back now, before the dyin starts." The words were quick, flat, and the girl shook her head.

"We can't. Won't."

"Then you can and will die with them. The battles only get harder from here." She opened her mouth argue more and he lowered his goggles.

"Sleep, little girl. Come daylight, I'm gone like the dark."

(Hi. I have the story finished but I have a lot of things going on right now. I'll add more when I can but really, telling me you'd like to read more will make it happen faster. Thanks for stopping by!)


	7. Chapter 7

7.) Expensive Questions

"So, what do I get for betraying them?" The prisoner asked cooly, ignoring the pains of his abused body, the short, balding Doctor lurking behind his restraint chair, and all the guards with their guns pointed at his head, staring hard instead at the one he hated most in the universe.

Donre shrugged, looking around in distaste at the bugs, the damp walls and floor, the cobweb covered equipment.

"Moved to a better place at the very least. Maybe more than one hour a week awake." The Generals eyes seemed to change as he stared at the prisoner, shape and color becoming blurred and Cowan smiled.

"Neat trick. Hypno won't work on me." Donre acted like he hadn't tried but the inmate could feel his displeasure that it hadn't worked.

"My generosity depends on your information." The POW looked at the other man, dark eyes seeing from their body language that there was no friendship between these men, not even the bond of working together, and though the criminal was caged, temporarily tamed, he was still eager to play head games with them, always willing to sow dissension among the enemy.

"He keeps his word?" Not wanting to be responsible for what was surely a lie, the graying soldier shrugged, looking at the huge spider nest in one corner of the small cell and the mass of red bumps on the prisoner's thick ankles.

"He hasn't pulled anything on me or the boys." Donre's face tightened at the obvious evasion and the convict shrugged.

"Sounds like a bad deal." Donre nodded, moved only a little closer despite the titanium arm straps and soldiers crowded in and around the small room.

"Your other option is death." Cowan laughed out loud, making the General's lips thin into a flat lie.

"Been waitin all my life, big man! Bring it on!" Donre smiled coolly and the convict stilled, sensing the victory blow that was coming.

"Is it so easy to chose when it's someone else's life? You were captured on an air field with three others. You've just killed the pilot." Cowan frowned to cover his unease.

"He's already dead. At your hand, I hear." Donre shook his head.

"Not as dumb as you think. The woman is the pilot. Sammi." His voice was full of anticipation. "You've just killed her.' He turned away from the real concern that was flooding the criminal's face, not needing to see the win to know that he had. "Come on, Sergeant Judas. We'll bring her head back, along with her young son. See if they'll sacrifice them both."

"Wait!" Donre kept walking, moving slowly to keep listening and the Furyan's screams flooded the long, dim, filthy hall.

"They gather to overthrow this world! The prophesy has come true! You and your kind will die begging for mercy! Please don't hurt them!" They could still hear him screaming as they stepped out into the drizzle and haze, their escort uneasily watching the shadows of dusk creep over the ugly, live wire gates around the tall, red brick jail. Death was in the air.

Donre watched the Sergeant as he drove, not looking away, and he was aware of how nervous he was making the soldier.

"You believe him?" The man nodded quickly.

"Sure, he was upset." Donre sat back, liking the earthquake caused gaps in the road more than he usually did. Today, they would serve a purpose.

"Maybe." The Sergeant swallowed his nerves, drew up his spine.

"We really go to kill a female prisoner?" Donre snorted.

"Orders to execute a POW come from higher than me." The soldier grinned in understanding.

"But, he didn't know that. The General nodded. "Thus, he can be believed. The woman will tell the truth to keep her child from being hurt and we'll compare their stories. That's why you always capture the young if you have to choose. The parent won't be far behind and you'll have more control." His voice turned mean. "And, you'll need all the advantages you can get in this fight. The odds are not in our government's favor."

"How do you know so much? Are you…" The Sergeant fell silent as those pale green eyes found his.

"Am I what? An Alien?" The soldier forced himself to nod, knowing the higher ranking man was still pissed about his answer to the convict.

"Are you?" Donre leaned close, voice a soft, terrifying menace.

"I could tell you but you'd have to die afterwards. I totally believe in that saying." The Sergeant smiled uneasily.

"Like the CIA?" Donre frowned.

"Better than that. Decision time, grunt. Ask and receive answers and then death, or shut up and drive?" The General goaded and it was a challenge the man felt to his toes.

"Those were my men before you got them killed. I built this outfit from the ground up and I'll rebuild it. I don't shut up and drive for anyone!" Donre smiled eagerly.

"Good, you've chosen. Let's see. What to reveal in the short time we have left?" He leaned closer to the protesting man. "We'll start with, yes, I am, only not just one, but the sum. I'm an Alpha and I've been hunting them for years, so don't tell me about building a legacy. I've turned in more of my own kind in the thirty years since the WorldEnders sent them fleeing from Furya, than any other man or platoon." He paused to casually light a cigar. "I have over a hundred captured just since the war your government created." The Sergeant was horrified.

"Your own people?" Donre's head snapped around.

"I have no people! You won't either once this plays out. Your species will be crushed in our battle!" Donre snapped, bracing his foot on the dash.

"If we're the loosing team, why help us?" Donre's smile was savage.

"Because I have no people. I came only for the fight, the power. I'm the Dark Horse spoken of in the prophesy, and I won't stop until I'm dead or every last bit of Furyan blood is gone!"

"But, why?" Donre held out his cigar.

"Generations of betrayal, Sergeant Peters. Hold this a moment, will you?" The instant the soldier took hold of the smoking blunt, Donre used his hand to push off the man's shoulder while shoving with his braced leg. The movement sent the humvee skidding to the left, heading for a huge rift in the ground, and Donre leapt up and out, landing smoothly on his feet. The jeep hit dead air a second later and then the vehicle was over the edge, disappearing, and the Sergeant's echoing scream made Donre's cruel grin widen.

"Betrayals like that." He turned away. "Been with me long enough to know I never bluff." He turned toward the two hummers of shocked men that had stopped.

"He asked too many questions." The General moved toward the nearest one and the men there nearly fell out of the backseat to clear him room. His move was confirmation that he was indeed an alien, a traitor to his own kind but the soldiers crammed into the other jeep without complaint. Theirs was not to question why, only to do or die, the same as it had been for all their lives.

Donre settled himself, lighting another cigar that made his driver frown.

"Where to, sir?" He turned those hard eyes on the young captain for a long moment.

"First to base, then South Bunker #12. Any more questions?" The kid swallowed nervously, shaking his head as he shifted into gear.

"Sir, no, sir." A second later, they were moving, bouncing over broken ground and Donre began to plan his next three moves.


	8. Chapter 8

9.) Warnings, Wovares, & Warriors

"Plink!"

The drop of wetness landed o the back of his hand, warm instead of cold, and Riddick looked at it in the dawns dim light, already knowing it wasn't rain. Red. Blood.

He was on his feet in a defensive crouch a second later, curved knife in his grip, horrified eyes staring at the refugee's. Dead. They were all dead. Shot, stabbed, throats cut, strangled, and he spun in blood colored grass, looking for the girl.

She was still against the tree, neck broken, and he dropped to his knees near her lifeless body, knowing her eyes would open for him and they did, but it was Kyra's voice that came from her dead lips as her empty gaze locked onto his.

"There was no one else around."

Waves of pain broke the hold the dream had on him and Riddick opened his eyes to bright flashes of lightening and deep rumbles of thunder. He was on his feet in that same defensive crouch a second later, knife in hand, and found the girl's tired face in the dimness.

"You okay?" He didn't want to look at her.

"Don't follow me today. There's death in the air." He forced himself to meet her eyes. "Maybe yours." She nodded, shaking out her dark cloak before putting it back on.

"I feel it too, but I also know you can't fight destiny. There's no greater force in the universe." She stepped in front of him as his lips thinned, aware of her people hurrying to get ready.

"That's something you haven't learned yet, I guess. You might have to let someone in then, let us get close. We scare you." His lips twitched.

"Not on your life, little girl." Tori grinned boldly.

"Then prove it." He did smile this time.

"Your middle name happen to be Kyra or Jack?" She frowned.

"No. Why?" He shrugged.

"You remind me of someone. She cared about people too. At first." Riddick stepped around her. "Then she learned there's no such word is friend."

"Did you get her killed?" Riddick swung around at that, face tight.

"You calculate that?" The girl flushed at the scorn, shook her head.

"Didn't need to. You talk in your sleep." She paused, pushed on. "You said you were sorry. That it should have been you." Riddick felt the pain like the tear had just rolled from Kyra's eye and he lowered his goggles, steeling himself.

"I'm bad news, little girl. Don't follow me. When it goes down, I won't come back. Not for them and not for you." Ignoring the instant hurt on her face, Riddick took off at a steady clip, judging the muddy ground, and then picked up speed, not a bit surprised when she fell in neatly behind him, and the rest followed.

"A lot to prove and willing to die for it." He moved a bit faster than was necessary to out distance her, wanting to drive in his point. "And, maybe you will."

Riddick moved through the storm like a ghost, loving the lightening show and white clouds of foam rolling overhead. It was foggy, like dawn, carrying a feeling of something about to happen as he put more and more space between him and the following refugee's, telling himself when it went down, he would just keep going. It wasn't his fight.

The sly hunters had slowly been getting closer all day, drawn by the scent of the Furyan energy they'd been trained to track, and they crept up easily on the drenched refugee's who walked together with their hoods up and heads down, missing any noise or movement the predators made as thick fog rolled over the ground, providing natural cover.

The ambushers worked together, pack hunting like their instincts had told them to for centuries, and the people were unaware of the danger until it was too late to avoid.

"Wwhhhooooo!" The ominous sound made them look around nervously, lowering hoods to stare hard into the swirling whiteness. That call was hungry. And, close.

"OOooohhh!" The answering howl was closer, right on their back door, and they stopped, drawing their weapons as bright green eyes glared at them from the foggy shadows.

"Riddick!"

Riddick slowed, hating the girl for the hold she already had on him and he stopped as gunfire echoed.

"All the power in the universe can't change destiny." Riddick's head snapped around to see the strong, beautiful warrior woman from his dreams standing nearby, looking very real, very there. He wanted to think it was because he was close to where ever she really was, but knew it was likely because they'd bonded against his will when she'd marked him.

More gunfire came, followed by shouts, and the woman watched him flinch towards it, then hold himself firmly in place.

"The past must be settled before there can be a future." His eye narrowed, tone hinting at how much it had cost him.

"I did that." She seemed to grow angry, waved a hand, and the damp woods began to disappear, replaced with the familiar landscape he was used to seeing behind her. Red hills, dying trees, and millions of grave markers.

"There were many betrayals that destroyed our people, our world."

Understand of what she expected flooded his face and he reacted true to his nature. He was defiant.

"Find someone else to give you justice!" He shouted and her softly spoken words brought the ache back to his gut.

"There is no one else around." Kyra's voice echoed from her lips and Riddick was slapped back in time, unable to fight it.

"You signed with Merc's!" He moved passed her, angry, about to walk and yet he paused to hear her words.

"There was no one else around." That quiet accusation rolled over him, dug under his thick skin because it was true. He left her behind and she'd been hurt, had ended up dead. Did he have to go through it again?

"To find peace, you must settle our past and bring her home. Bring them all home. Furya needs every life it can get." Shirah began to melt back into her own reality as it disappeared, and the calls for his help grew louder. "But, you must hurry. Even now, death catches up to her, and it's hungry."

The refuge's had tried to stay together, protecting the weaker in a tight circle, but the pack of genetically engineered wolves was large, 20 animals, and their snaps and lunges drove the group apart again and again, finally separating the girl from the rest, her energy more defined, sharper, and she took off running, hoping to draw them away from her people.

Tori fired as she ran, hitting wolves as they leapt and then one of them was passed the gun and going for her throat. The girl screamed in fury as she sank her blade into its belly, ripping upwards as it howled in pain, fell. More wolves moved toward her and icy fear wound into the girls guts as she took off running again. He really wasn't coming back for her.

Hearing acute, two of the solid black wolves turned to meet Riddick as he raced toward where they had the refugee's surrounded, and he jumped at the last moment, knife stabbing deep into a furry neck, slicing an artery as he flew overhead. He landed inside the circle of wounded, bloody people and when the second wolf followed him into the scared group, it was clubbed to the ground by Doug's huge arms until it stopped moving.

"Where is she?" Riddick demanded and Doug pointed with his bloody, spiked club.

"That way, with half the pack on her heels." Riddick took off at a blur, easily following the trail of dead animals and his respect for the girl grew with his worry.

Tori kept moving, vaguely aware of being herded, but there was no place to go. Even the trees here were too weak to support her weight, the ground filled with earthquake cracks, and she jumped, glided where she could, but the Wovares kept up, snapping at her heels, and then she was coming up to a gap that was too wide to jump and had no angle to glide from. She was trapped. The girl nodded. She'd go down fighting.

She spun to face her attackers, firing as three of the snarling animals lunged for her, and then a shadow was streaking past at a blur, grabbing her from the jaws of death, and she clung to him, trying not to scream as the huge gap approached and he didn't slow.

"Hold on!" Her arms locked around his neck, legs swinging around his waist, and instead of the jump she tensed for, he slid to a rough stop and gently stepped off the ledge, wolves close behind.

The refugee's had followed when the predators around them chased Riddick and they began to pick them off, the big animals now the ones trapped and they cleared a path to the edge of the dark, muddy gap.

Riddick's powerful arms slammed the shivs into the dirt walls they were dropping past and they jerked to a slower fall before one of the blades slipped, and their speed increased again. Riddick struggled to keep them along the dirt wall, his weight pulling them back and he shoved the knife back into the earth, using his feet to dig in.

Able to hear their names being called from above, they slowed gradually, hearts pounding, breathing harsh, and when something slithered up the dirt near them, Riddick bit back a curse. Not one of his best ideas.

"Tell them to throw a rope." Calm, and she nodded once, hating the way the dirt she was mashed against, slid under her clothes and shifted against her back.

"We'll fall more. She whispered and felt his grip tighten on the blades, feet dig in more.

"Do it." She tilted her head back, sucked in a lungful of earthen air.

"Rope! Throw a rope!" Dirt crumbled, began to side and both knives came out as Riddick's feet fought for ground and found none. They dropped, falling, and the girl instinctively threw herself back, pulling Riddick with her, and he was able to slam the blades back into the dirt, holding them to the wall.

Clothes twisted, the glow of a hand on his chest was bright in the darkness and felt warm against her skin as she clung to him, but it came as no surprise to her, no relief. She had been sure since Donre's attack in the sewer.

A thick coil of rope fell to them and the girl quickly tied them together at the waist as both knives slid more from her movements. The air seemed different down here, more alive and the strange noises of shifting earth kept Riddick's adrenaline flowing.

"Are you re… Uuhhg!" The dirt gave way and they were falling again, then grunting in pain as they were jerked upward and then swung back, slamming into the muddy dirt wall.

The girl clung to him as he used the curved blades and his feet to help those pulling them up and everyone moved back as they climbed up and out of the gap, Riddick quickly slicing thru the rope binding them together.

"Thought you were goners." Doug laughed, grabbing his hand. "We owe you big." Riddick notice Neil had nothing to say, just watched with bitter eyes and couldn't resist smirking as he stepped passed.

The girl went to check on the wounded first, sure there were deaths, just like he'd warned them, but her eyes were wide, glazed with success, and she stole looks at Riddick while he brushed himself off. Who he really was, had been revealed. He'd come back for her.

Most of the refugee's were doing the same as they tended their wounds, the hope and relief in their gazes reminding him strongly of the first few minutes after he'd killed the Lord Marshal and he let that small, cold part of him lash out in defiance, needing to prove he was anything but their hero.

"I've saved your asses three times. Pay me!" They all stilled in their praise, frowning at his anger as the girl turned to him.

"Jodan will tell…"

"No." He cut her off curtly, shaking his head.

"I told you no credit, little girl, and this is a bigger job than I signed on for. I want proof this isn't a setup or worse, a waste of my time." She shook her head but Riddick saw no fear, no worry. Reluctant to part with it, she might be, but she had something. She wasn't bluffing. He raised his goggles.

"Let me put it another way. No proof, no pilot. I'll walk."

"He's shamming." Even Neil's' voice sounded unsure and the girl shook her head, eyes bitter.

"He never does." She hadn't looked away from Riddick. "And, if it proves who you are?" He said nothing, waiting, and her face tightened.

"Fine, but hear me. I'm about to provide proof of payment. We have a deal. No backing out after this for any reason." His lips thinned.

"As long as I'm satisfied." Electric sparked as they stared at each other, exchanging a rare, identical thought, and then she was digging thru her pack.

She held out a small, square, cloth wrapped object and everyone tensed as he reached for it, the ground beneath their feet trembling. Thunder rolled in the distance as he slid back the dark cover to reveal a stunningly beautiful gold amulet. It gleamed despite the lack of light, almost shinning in the dusk, and to Riddick, it felt like the object sighed in relief at being uncovered. On the front was a single, silver decoration. A hand.

"I know who you are. I've seen that mark you bare." His eyes swung to hers even though he didn't really want to look away from the amulet. How did it work?

"You've seen it on someone here?" She shrugged, reminding him of Aereon.

"The odds are very good that we can give you what you came for. " His face tightened.

"In exchange for what?" Her eyes were unreadable.

"We already have a deal. Just keep coming back when shit goes wrong." Riddick looked back down at the golden talisman, fingers eager to touch it, and he forced himself not to, sent his mind back to finding an escape from the clever trap that had been laid for him.

"Can't be done without a crew. Can't protect every side." He stated finally. He lowered his voice. "You could ditch them. Come along for the ride." He expected a sharp denial and was surprised when she shrugged, smiling dryly.

"I already am along for a ride. So, are you." His nod was rueful. Mostly because of Aereon, he was once again in charge of a group of people he didn't even really like. He shook his head, trying one last attempt at escape.

"Not for much longer. I can find things on my own."

"It wold take you years." She stated matter of factly. "What's two weeks? Once our help comes, you can go back to being just the flyboy." He raised a brow.

"You mean that?" She nodded without hesitation.

"Yes, though the position's there when you're ready." He looked around at them.

"You have no place to go. Furya was destroyed." There were nods and frowns.

"We know that, but by now, the ground is fertile again and we'd rebuild what was stolen from us." Doug stated firmly.

"And, if it's unlivable?" Riddick asked, already knowing it wasn't.

"We'd go where you'd go, where you say." The girl answered quickly, words drawing mutters and nods.

"You wouldn't last a day in my world."

"You could teach us." That came from Neil and Riddick turned to him, surprised for the second time in five minutes.

"Why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do." "Not my…" "Then make it your fight!" Doug demanded, drawing the warriors hard glare, and the girl stepped between them, into his line of sight.

"You could though? If you wanted to?" Riddick nodded slowly, hating her, hating them all for the carefully maneuvered walls of his newest cage.

"I can keep people alive. Just usually choose not to." He looked around again, eyes hard. Yet another cage to escape. He already had one plan in the works but it would be a slow one, and he would keep looking for another.

"It'll take at least 10 more like me, some serious firepower, and a lot of luck. Does your prophesy have that covered?" He mocked them, but Doug's voice was confident, almost arrogant.

"We believe that or we'd still be in the sewers where ya found us." Not gonna beg, that one, and Riddick let out a low growl of resignation that had the girl smiling in relief before he spoke.

"Nine days. That's it. No one comes, I'm gone and you won't catch up." He looked at her, unable to resist touching the amulet any longer, and his fingers slid over the seductive gold cover, opened the thin top.

"How does this work?"

The instant his skin made contact, it began to glow a brilliant gold and silver mix that immediately ran up his arm and then traveled his body. It receded quickly, the amulet seeming to bulge in his hand, and then a huge wave of energy shot out in every direction, knocking those closest off their feet. Raising up, Riddick looked at the girl.

"Never mind." She smiled, picked herself up.

"Only those of the royal blood can use it. It's alive, can sense a traitor if it's touched by one. It's unique and now, our warriors will come." Riddick carefully wrapped the gold treasure back in the protective cover and stored it in his pocket.

"It's gonna draw soldiers too. Let's get to your place and set a surprise for them." He turned to leave, looked back over his shoulder. "You wanna lead?" She shook her head, unable to completely suppress the desire in her tone.

"No. I'm getting good at following. I'll let you know where. It's only a few hours out." He nodded, took off running, and she darted after him, ignoring the unhappy looks of some of her people. The world was full of hard choices. She'd made hers.


	9. Chapter 9

10.) The Spider & her Flies

The Furyan froze on top of her enemy, her lover, their bodies almost connected, and when the hard soldier grabbed at soft, naked skin, the sharp blade was at his throat instantly, stilling his movements. The drugged man, who she'd lured out of a bunker, let go when she applied pressure and the female smiled coldly.

"Quiet."

Vaguely aware for the first time that he might be in real trouble, the high ranking man gave a careful nod and the seductress withdrew her knife but kept it in hand as she listened to the waves of energy riding the wind. The call she'd been waiting for had come. It was time to leave her four splendid walls of comfort to begin a sacred journey, a new adventure, a fresh hunt.

The pale, slender Sorceress was up a second later, donning her dark, warriors clothes in the dim candlelight, and the newly promoted chemistry major protested, was turned down by a voice that seemed much older than the woman it came from.

"Sorry, Darling. Maybe in another lifetime. I have to go back to work now." Her tall, blond victim snorted cruelly, balls full of hot rejection, and he started to get up out of the satin sheet covered bed to take what he wanted.

"Do Whores have jobs?"

"Uurrg!" The gold handled knife was buried hilt deep in the soldiers neck before he even registered her movement and the woman shrugged as he held up bloody, accusing hands.

"I meant to do that sooner, but you were fun to play with." He died with a disbelieving look that kept her smile in place as she pulled on calf high black boots and started gathering the rest of her things, putting them with what she already had packed, ready to go. She glanced at the corpse in her bed, grinning.

"Nothing like killing them by deceit. Especially when they think they're the masters of it." The wolf in sheep's clothing stilled, listening, and her violet eyes lit up. She had company. A call and visitors. The night was looking up.

"Boom! Boom! Crrushhh!"

"Shoot to kill! Find the Witch!"

Loud and heavy boot steps echoed, in a rush to use brute force and not trying to hide it, and the hunter silently waited, judging the right moment. She'd had their man for a week, taunting them with threats and vague sightings, and now, they'd found her liar. One of them. She listened harder. Ten government pigs coming down the rusty, spiral staircase that led to her basement dungeon. Ten more to add to her long list of kills.

"Now the dyin starts."

"Look out..Aahhh!" There was a flash of light as a boot hit a trigger and then men were screaming, grunting, falling, as the razor wire flew out of the walls, slicing, gouging, cutting off flesh as it snapped tight across the bottom of the steps.

Only half as many feet echoed now, clearly not in a hurry anymore, and the Witch grinned, voice full of mockery meant to draw them further in.

"Not in such a rush now, are we boys?"

"She's in there!"

"Kick it in!" The Furyan pulled up her hood and waved a hand over the candle, putting it out as the door to her sanctuary came crashing inward, scattering debris as they forced their way in.

"Don't step th…" The door frame exploded, blowing bodies to pieces, and the remaining 7 men poured in, tripping the last wire. Knives flew from the floor, puncturing throats, eyes, lungs, and the concrete ran red, awful screams of death echoing backup the steps.

The Witch slipped to the right, choosing another unexpected and hard to fight weapon, turned toward the three men that remained, all staring in horror at the dead man in her silky bed.

"Over here, boys."

With her right, she threw her knife and with her left, she tossed a cup of homemade acid, the recipe gotten from the major, and all three men went down, two of them screaming and clawing at their eyes.

The Witch pulled her knife from one man's neck, and she let herself go at the first sweet, vicious swipe of her blade as she dealt with the others. Aroused, frustrated, and full of rage, the lust for their blood overwhelmed her, and when she forced herself to stop, the two bodies were maimed beyond recognition.

"Should I come back when you're in a better mood?" The bloody female spun toward the door, deadly knife ready, and her cherry lips curled into a sneer of contempt as she recognized the black cloaked male in her splintered doorway.

"Marco. Always showing up too late to play." The wide shouldered man with the teenagers face sent his dark eyes over the blood and bodies, the dead man in her satin covered bed, and the soldiers uniform on the floor.

"Looks like you've played enough for both of us." She snarled her anger, still on the edge of rage, and the wizard held up a gloved hand.

"A sorry for my words. I only came to see if you wanted company for the trip." Her eyes lost some of their fury and her defensive stance relaxed a bit, but her tone was stet in stone.

"These are the rules. Keep your distance. You don't, I'll put you down for good. We clear?" He nodded, face bitter, eyes hurt.

"Yes, Vanica. You still have no forgiveness for me, no mercy in your black heart." He turned away. "I'll wait outside. Maybe the rain will wash away my brothers stink so you won't be so offended." She stiffened as he shimmered into the smoky darkness, voice barely audible, even to him.

"It doesn't wash off. I know. I've tried."


	10. Chapter 10

11.) Family Values

"So, we go then? You're sure?" The tall, slender woman with the very long, black and blond braids looked over the six strong sons sitting silently around the wooden kitchen table, her blue mothers eyes unreadable, but inside, she was worried. Would she loose one or more of them by agreeing? Once said, it was done in this house.

"Mother?" Her husband's quiet voice was respectful, submissive, willing to accept her choice, and the head of the household nodded slowly. The signs had started and the call of power had come. Ready or not, it was time to go.

"Yes. The lost Heir has called and as Defenders, we are duty bound to answer. We leave with the light. It's finally time to go home." The unusual words from her allowed the boys a glimpse of the person inside that they saw sparingly, and each devoted male at the table filed it away as they began to talk of preparations, of what to do first.

"Excuse me." The woman swirled her long black and green robe around her black clad body as she left the table and an awkward silence fell as she headed for the back door, her men sensing her displeasure. Once she was outside, the conversation resumed, but the male voices were carefully restrained out of respect.

Raylen stepped out into the cold, starless, moonless Tanaka night, the haze keeping the ground cold, still. She tensed suddenly, then relaxed as she heard the soft steps of her youngest, her last,(maybe) slipping up behind her and trying very hard to live up to the high expectations she put on them all.

Dressed in deceptively simple black hooded robes, with a single, long black and blond braid, the boy was the mirror image of his brothers, but his crystal eyes sometimes flashed with pulses of green, like hers, and she waved a hand patiently at the son most like her in mind and abilities.

"Show me your forms, youngest son."

The boy held onto a groan of discovery, telling himself even Father couldn't sneak up on her, and he began the smooth, calming motions of their people, using his knife, but not the blowgun on his belt.

Lena watched her sons flawless grace, how well he timed each thrust, knew each difficult step, and allowed herself a moments pride. She had taught them and her much younger husband well, had drilled them on everything she knew, and they were beautiful to watch. Beautiful and deadly. That brought her frown line back. Would it be enough to keep them alive? The call was genuine, it's feeling distinct, unforgettable to someone who's heard it during the invasion of her homeworld, but it could still be a trap, Donre using a captive. Still, it meant a member of the royal family had survived and she couldn't deny the sacred call for help. Her frown deepened. Was she taking them to an ambush?

The Mother's frown of worry, caught in a brief, forbidden glance, made the boy stumble, and he immediately stopped, started over without being told.

"Concentrate." He muttered, furious with himself. "Always concentrate." He threw himself into the defensive moves and when he finished, on a knee in the dirt in front of her, the woman rewarded him with a rare smile that livened her normally expressionless face, and then something more unexpected, sure his stumble had been caused by her worry. Praise.

"Very nice. Go upstairs and help your brothers with the packing." The 13 year old flushed with pleasure and was gone a second later, eager to tell them of the emotions he'd seen the Mother show, and Lena heard her husband step onto the porch of their mountain cabin.

"It's what you've trained us for. We'll make it." She didn't turn, wouldn't until she had herself under control.

"All of us?" Her mate of 2 decades stepped closer, unsure of her mood for the first time in many years.

"Yes. My life for any of theirs, I swear it!" His words brought up fierce emotions and she turned, sought his arms. The surprised man held her close in the cool darkness. She never needed his strength. It was always hers they'd leaned on.

"And, mine as well, Devon. Mine as well." She nuzzled his ear, pointing a finger upward and the six faces in the widow of the cabin they'd built together disappeared. She pressed closer to his warmth, inhaling of his scent.

"Take me to the den." He tensed against her, responding instantly, and she curled her arms around his neck, eyes pulsing with green light.

"We leave our home come morning. Tonight, we Den." They were shadows melting into the darkness seconds later and the boys back in the window shared grins as they returned to their work but there were no jokes, no laughter. Their parents hearing was so good, it was amazing, even for them.


	11. Chapter 11

12.) Fools of Fortune

The long abandoned oil refinery was isolated, made up of many small and larger buildings, sheds, and rusted out equipment, was almost the perfect place to law low, and the three platoon's of heavily armed soldiers moved carefully toward the middle warehouse, drawn by an almost constant tapping that none of them recognized as a warning in code. Other Furyan's would have known it for what it was. A trap.

The man in charge keyed his radio, voice low.

"Surround and prepare to move in. Five, windows." Six identically dressed soldiers rushed forward, staying low, and a minute later, backed up to their original positions, one of them keying his radio.

"Looks like twenty, sir. Still asleep. Can't see where the noise is coming from." The Colonel nodded, pulling his piece, tapping the vest under his better quality uniform.

"Move on three. Dart first, but kill if you have to. No escapes." The men positioned themselves and the Colonel stepped to just behind the first group that was getting set to go in, eager to claim his share of the victory.

"One...Two…"

"Wait!"

"Three!" The men rushed in.

"BBbbooommb! Kkaaabbbommmm!"

The entire building went up at once, triggers connected to the doors, and all the men were killed instantly, vaporized by a flame cloud that enveloped the whole oil yard. The blaze was visible for a hundred miles, and on a far ridge, blending in with the flickering shadows, Riddick and his small band of bitter refugee's got moving again, watching the firestorm with satisfied, alien eyes.

Too far away to see the actual fire, but not the smoke and light, or to hear the faint echoes of the explosions as they rang out thru this quiet world, three jeeps of specially trained men flying thru dawns last shadows.

"Should we go back?" Donre frowned.

"Go faster. You can't help the dead." The Lt. did as he was told and Donre watched the smoke billow up with tired, glad eyes. It had been a struggle to convince those in charge to give him a new squad of men and he was exhausted from keeping himself cool and calm instead of just killing them all like he wanted to. He would be in charge then, but his orders would never be followed and he'd forced himself to grovel, to plead for one last chance to take care of this threat for them. They had grudgingly agreed, almost half wanting him imprisoned after the reports of watch guards on another, smaller bunker being found dead, and now, the call had come.

The wave of energy had worried him a little at first, made him glad he'd already been on the road and out of contact when it came, the strength of it enough to give him a headache, but he was also elated. It was true. There was a Heir to the Furyan thrown. His time on this miserable rock had not been wasted, was almost over. By death or victory, his mission here, the job he'd been contracted for so long ago, would be done, and then he could collect his prize for finding and killing who he'd been sent here for. Another faint ripple of explosions came to his sensitive ears and he sneered.

"Fools. You have to get ahead and ambush. Surprise is the only real weapon against our kind." The Lt. wasn't sure if the green eyed General was talking to him but chose to take the opening, very curious about the hard-ass now giving him orders. The last two squads with Donre hadn't survived, not one of them, and the younger but still smart Lt. was determined that wouldn't happen to him or his men.

"Is that where we're going?"

"Of course. We'll get a location and get set up." Donre waved a hand. "Faster Lt. Scott, and maybe yours will indeed be the men to survive my command." The wind pushed a the jeep and the soldier manhandled the wheel, forcing it to do what he wanted.

"We'll be in the woods around South Bunker #12 in 18 hours. I'll see to it." The hooded Furyan nodded, frowning.

"The plane ban is useless now that the WorldEnders have been defeated and still, they send us out on wheels." He looked at the odd colored moon, it's purple and pink lights made even more eerie by the shapes of the smoke, lips almost smiling.

"They won't listen and they won't live to regret it." He shrugged. "Not my fight, anyway."


	12. Chapter 12

12.) Riddick's Crew

"Hello in the camp?" The cool, sensual voice froze the girl in her tracks and she watched a thumping in her heart, already sure the female would look as good as she sounded.

The shadows parted to reveal a slender figure with long blond curls in a short, red skirt and white, ripped top. She moved toward Riddick with an easy grace that drew male attention instantly. Her violet eyes stayed on the warrior though, ignoring those who stood, staring openly at her exposed flesh.

"I've had some trouble. Can you help me?" Riddick moved forward, primitive side wanting what her body was offering, and the girl reacted, grabbing a thick handful of blond curls as the woman stepped passed to meet him, jerked her down hard into the dirt.

Tori drew her knife, moving to stand between Riddick and the beautiful stranger who slowly stood, dusted herself off.

"Guess I made an error in judgement." The woman swiped her hand over herself and the civilian clothes became long black and silver robes, blond hair becoming long, midnight tresses framing a pale, flawless face. The only thing that didn't change was the sharp, evaluating light in her violet eyes.

Realizing their mistake, the younger men of the camp drew their own weapons, and she waved a finger at them, tone full of warning.

"You boys aren't old enough to play with someone like me." Riddick raised his goggles.

"But, I am." The Witch smiled, eyeing him hungrily and she grinned in open admiration.

"Yes, you are." Smiling ruefully, shook her head. "However, I came for the job, not a great time. I'm Vanica. I believe you called." His flashing blue eyes went over her from black boots to black curls and he nodded.

"Riddick." He cut off her surprised question, seeing again that his name was known. Aereon had a lot of explaining to do.

"You can stay." He pointed to a dark patch of shadows. "Him, I'm not so sure about."

A shimmering light slowly appeared, taking the form of an old magician in dark green and silver robes, but he seemed to grow younger as they watched, ending in a middle aged man who'd had a hard lot in life. He bowed slightly.

"Marco." The Witch shrugged, stepped past Riddick with a slow saunter that had him turning his head to watch, made the girl grit her teeth in anger.

"I've known him all my life and neither am I." She waved a hand. "He's loyal to me though, of that I have no doubt." She locked eyes with the frowning Wizard. "Take over the Watch. More of us come tonight, I think." The tall, now bitter eyed man moved right away with a small nod, and people shrank back out of his way. "Yes, Vanica."

The Witch and Riddick were eye to eye, both ignoring the clearly upset girl as they faced each other, evaluated, measured.

"So, your The Riddick. The bounty on your head tripled when base learned of the refinery. This place crawls by afternoon." Riddick's tone was pointed.

"You here to take the first shot?" The Witch smiled sexily.

"Glad you see me that way, but I only hunt soldiers. Our kind are safe." The playfulness fell from her face, leaving only ice.

"Except for Donre. He hunts you even now and I hunt him." "Why?" She gave him a puzzled look.

"To quiet the souls of those he betrayed, of course. They beg me to kill him."

"And, you came for the chance at him?" Her violet eyes danced with hate.

"He's why I stay on this dead rock. I could have called out long ago and been picked up." Riddick said nothing but didn't doubt she held her fingers on that much power. It was in her eyes that she was lethal. Anyone who couldn't read it deserved whatever she gave them.

"So, what's the pay?"

"The ride for everyone else. For you, the challenge of getting all these people off this rock. Alive. " He waved a hand at the frowning refugee's around them. "They think the prophesy has it all covered. You feel the same?" She stared at him in surprise.

"You don't claim it?" He snorted.

"Why should I? Sounds like a worse job than this one." She looked at him for a long minute before answering.

"Have your girlfriend calculate the odds on me saying yes." Riddick shrugged, didn't waste breath on the title.

"Already did. Wouldn't lay bets."

"So, how will I get paid? There's no guarantee I'll get a shot at Donre." Riddick saw the gleam in her eye, listened to her tone, shrugged.

"I think I can satisfy your demands." She grinned back.

"Yeah, I'll just bet you can."

Neil, still smarting from being ignored, out of favor, was unable to resist gloating and he leaned toward the furious girl.

"That's a real woman. He won't even look your way now, little girl." Already looking for an outlet, Tori spun, fist knocking him to the ground as she growled her rage, blacking his other eye.

"Don't call me that! Slam you! Slam her!" She turned toward Riddick and the Witch stepped back, opening her cloak to reveal a lithe hunters body incased in black.

"Be sure." The Witch warned softly, ominously, and pure fury flashed in the girls fearless eyes.

"Mine!" Tori's face was flushed and the Sorceress shook her head.

"You have no hold on him. That's clear."

"I might by the time we get there and I want him!" She growled and most were surprised when the Witch only smiled.

"I see why he likes you." Tori nodded, tone cold as she ran insulting eyes over the older woman.

"And, I see why he's pulled toward you but I suspect you look different on the inside." The Witch's face glazed over and they both ignored Riddick when he took a step toward them. This was between women.

"You'd die for a moment that may never come? End it all here and now?" Vanica asked menacingly and the girl nodded without hesitation, fire in her eyes.

"My word on it." The people around them watched in horrid fascination, most sure the girl had gone too far, and for a brief second, time stood still as the women faced off.

The Witch sighed suddenly, anger gone, and she shook her head.

"Ah, to be young and careless again. Fine, Keeper of the brimstone. I won't hunt him during our time together but when this is all over, all's fair." She started to turn away, looked back. "I'd say I'm giving more than you know but I suspect that's not true." She looked at Riddick.

"What's the plan?" His face was tight, not sure how he felt about the girl claiming him and the Witch backing down, but he definitely admired her strength. She was almost nothing like those around her.

"A weak one we'll add to, now that you're here. We take down a bunker first." The Witch grinned, the killer in her always ready to spill the blood of soldiers.

"Ah… Back with my own kind, who know no limits, no doubts. How I've missed it." Riddick looked at her curiously.

"Really?" Her smile faded and she shook her head, long, dark curls swaying.

"No. People suck. Doesn't matter who's kind they are."

They all tensed, listening, didn't relax when Marco entered the small clearing, moving fast to where the Witch stood by Riddick.

"Put the fire out. People come. One a very light step, two heavy, maybe more behind them. Traveling fast." The Furyan's were ghosts seconds later, melting into the forest around them.

The first shadow to enter the clearing was a thin boy in black robes, clutching his chest as he ran, looking wildly over his shoulder. He didn't notice he hiding forms above him and they watched in tense silence as he burrowed under thick bushes, crying silent tears, hoping to be overlooked. He was well hidden but his wound was bad, leaving a clear trail to follow, and he jerked, tensed at the footsteps as his scared eyes searched for a better place to be when they found him. He looked up and froze as he saw the people in the trees, and when Riddick put a finger to his lips, the child nodded, in too much pain to wonder who they were.

"You get him?" The man's voice was teasing, not worried.

"You know I did." The second man was less casual, but also not expecting trouble.

"Then, why are we tracking instead of stowing? Shoulda used a dart." The two guns for hire stepped into the clearing and the shorter, dirtier man pointed.

"There's the blood trail." They heard a small rusting noise and exchanged grins.

"Here we come, boy!"" They came forward with their weapons lowered, without caution, and the youngest Son's hand tensed on the dart gun hidden below the weeds as they stopped by him, watching his struggles to breath without sympathy

"That's a kill shot. No cash for it." The other man shrugged.

"Still a free pass on fuel and supplies. Throw him over your shoulder and let's go."

The boy was fast and they were both caught off guard, the poison dart plunging into the bent down bounty hunters thick neck, and he fell heavily. A shadow shimmered in behind the other child killer, grabbing him by the throat, turning him as the gun fell from hands now clawing for air.

"A life for a life." Marco's face was old in the light of the force that flew into him from the terrified mans silent scream of horror. His face began to sink in and his eyes rolled back in his head as almost blinding gold light continued to gush from the bounty hunters open mouth. A second later, the Wizard dropped the husk and the body crumbled to dust as it hit the ground.

Face now under the shadow of his hood, Marco moved toward the dying boy, knelt down beside him to rip away the bloody robe over his chest. The wound was huge, gaping and pulsing out blood with every beat of the child heart, and the wizard placed a hand over it, the tips of his fingers lighting up, a brilliant gold.

"If he dies, you let it go. Understand?" Another hooded figure had come thru the shadows so stealthily that only Riddick and the Witch had noticed and the crossbow's deadly tip rested lightly at Marco's neck.

"Your kind can be killed." He turned to look at her with eyes that shimmered in clouds of silver, not seeing but sensing the waves of shock and rage from above them, then movement.

"The souls of children are abhorrent to me." She nodded, not looking at the Son she loved most as he gasped for air and stared at the treetops with death glazed eyes. He jerked, sucking in a huge breath, and the silver glow dancing around the wizards wrinkled hand grew brighter, began to spread.

"Pain is life, boy! Hold it tight!" The light turned to a stunning, pure gold, making Lena lower her lids and then it faded, the wound gone.

"Reminder of mistakes made?" Marco held out the bullet with shaky fingers and the Mother allowed him to drop it in her palm.

"It surprises me your kind came. Aren't Magic Users only concerned with themselves?" He shrugged, not offended.

"I came because someone else did. I have no other reason." Raylen nodded, watching with no expression as her son stood, accepting the Wizards hand, eyes flooding with shame as the Father and Brothers rushed into the clearing, drawing their weapons at the sight of a Magic User, the enemy, so close.

"You have a sorry for my rudeness. I owe you a great debt." Marco waved it away, not standing as he waited for Vanica to make her appearance.

"I knew he had someone nearby. Suspected we answer the same call." Her eyes were thoughtful as she studied him.

"It seems we do. You'll travel with us?" He shrugged, not giving Riddick away, and he waved a hand at the shadow now streaking furiously toward the seven Defender males waiting respectfully for her orders.

"Like with yours, she's in charge."

Vanica had slipped to the flank, judging the right moment, and she slid between the men at a blur, easily breaking their unsuspecting ranks to wrap the adult up tight, her knife at his throat.

The six boys immediately moved toward the Witch, knives out, but stopped when Lena snapped her fingers, responded instantly, moving back to let her handle it, like they'd been taught.

Lena's eyes were still on the kneeling man.

"Call her off, Wizard." Marco shook his head, voice rueful.

"Not I, Defender." Raylen nodded, voice hard.

"So be it."

Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I'll try to be quicker but I'm in the middle of editing my own book, Life After War, and I used this as a break when I start burning out. (Will be available on Amazon, ebay, and right around the fourth of July.)

Thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming, good or bad, as they will get me to post chapter quicker if I think there's people out there waiting for the next part.

P.S. Isn't it great 2010 will give us another Riddick film? Maybe I'll see ya at opening day!


	13. Chapter 13

13.) A Centuries Old Struggle

The Mother never looked, just listened, and as she drew her staff from the ground, the sharpened point gleamed darkly in the three moon light with the blood it had already spilled.

Lena spun and threw, her aim perfect, and the long spike drove thru the shoulder controlling the knife, impaling the Witch and knocking her back against the tree, pinned her to it.

Vanica howled in pain and rage as blood ran down her arm and then screamed again as the Defender Father's clothes melted, his body no longer inside them for her knife to cut as she sliced at him with her good arm. He materialized behind her, his blade now at her pale throat.

"Maybe we end a war here and now." He whispered, waiting for his wife's nod, and then he was flying backwards, a strong wave of energy throwing him into the trees, and he smacked one hard, and fell, stunned.

The angry, wounded Sorceress waved her hand, shrieking as the wooden staff impaling her exploded outward, causing people to duck the large splinters. Vanica moved her hand again and the gushing injury immediately sealed itself up, as did the hole in her long black and silver cloak. She turned furious violet eyes on the Defender boys, who were clearly shocked but had fallen into traditional stance, blocking their wounded father.

Raylen held her ground but the Witch's fast recovery was a surprise.

"Your Wizard did me a great service. Shall I repay him with your death?"

Leaves fell from above them, making everyone look up, and the girl in the branch under him was glad when Riddick took charge. These were way beyond her control but there was little time to watch and learn.

"Furyan's just don't play well with others." Riddick dropped to the ground like it was a step and the girl followed fearlessly, landing behind and to the right, the personal guards place.

"Why should they? Their races have always been at war, from the very beginning when the company wasn't even into deep space mining yet." Aware her words were drawing frowns, the girl watched the new arrivals recognize Riddick for who he was without being told. To her and others like him, there was no doubt. Jodan would be relieved to say the least.

"Not on this planet." Lena stated, eyes staying on the angry Magic User who was cleaning herself of scarlet splatters with jerky movements. "That crusade is far from here."

"But, not forgotten!" Vanica snarled, hands now curled into balls to keep from lashing out again and the Mother shrugged.

"Maybe it should be." The Defender immediately like the idea of having magic on their side but the Witch bristled like a pissed cat.

"Never!" Raylen nodded, turned to Riddick.

"Should we go? They were first."

"No." Vanica started to protest and Lena noticed it was the girl at his side who spoke up, handled things.

"He said no. Just ignore each other. It'll work for us, right?" The Huntress felt some of her rage leave and she was able to nod, dark eyes unreadable.

"Yes." She looked at the Mother as she spoke, aware of the Father and Sons waiting respectfully but alertly, seeing the advantages of the other people too, though they'd never be told she thought so.

"I came for the chance at Donre. If helping you gets me that, so be it." She pulled up her hood, turned away. "Advice though, Mother. Keep your men away from me. I won't hunt from them but I never turn down a meal once it's offered." She was gone seconds later, swallowed by the darkness and Marco followed her, shimmering out of sight. Riddick lowered his goggles.

"Blood Enemies, a Calculator, and a Convict, all on the same Crew. Interesting."

"Manners, boys." At Lena's words, the six identically dressed Sons stepped quickly in front of her and bowed low, lined up youngest to oldest. They spoke in unison, in a melodic tone, sliding down their hoods to reveal the long, tight hair of traditional Furyan warriors, though only the oldest boy had more than two braids in his ponytail.

"We answer your call and pledge ourselves to the Heir of Furya." Riddick met their mother's sharp eyes.

"Cute kids." She almost frowned, snapped her fingers instead. The six boys responded immediately, drawing the curved shiv's Riddick was so familiar with, going into the motions. They moved in beautiful, rhythmic harmony, stabbing, ducking, slicing, evading, spinning, and they finished in the same position they'd started from. Down on one knee, weapons re-hidden, lined up neatly in front of their Mother.

"Strong, Furyan woman." Riddick stated approvingly. "You're strength is in them." She nodded at the compliment.

"It's how our race survives even now." She whistled, soft and short and the boys lined up behind her again, hoods back in place as she looked to her husband.

"We stay." He nodded, turned to his boys with only a touch of pride in his tone.

"The two oldest Sons will secure the perimeter and take over the watch. The Youngest boy will make the meal. The other three will reset camp after getting rid of those bodies and I'll not see a single wisp of smoke from the fires." They were moving as he spoke, and he waved a hand at Doug. "Come, we will make sure there are no others nearby." The Mother turned to Riddick.

"I'm Raylen. Lena." They shook hands the traditional way, clasping at the wrist.

"Riddick." She showed nothing at the name, unlike her listening family, and he was glad when she gave them a sharp look and acted like it meant nothing.

"So, what's the plan?"

"We get to the ship they have and go." Her lips twitched at the flippant response.

"And, in between?" He met her eye, raising his goggles and again, she clearly recognized something but didn't comment.

"A long hard trip with stops in bad places." She looked around at the small group of leery, suspicious people.

"Is this it?" Riddick nodded.

"They expect more."

"Your Witch could find out." She looked at him with knowing eyes. "For a price." The girl at his side stiffened and the Mother nodded. Good instincts.

"We go for water and weapons. The rescue is extra."

"You have a good plan?"

"One with bad odds but that'll change now. You'll go over it?"

"If you like. We leave come sunup?" Riddick nodded, blue eyes flashing with emotion.

"Yes. The sooner the better." In those words, she heard a longing to go that matched her own and the Defender gave him a brief bow that her sons were surprised to see.

"You have my pledge. What need is the greatest?" Riddick waved a hand at her busy, alert boys, voice doubtful.

"Turning these people into the well trained warriors that that come with you." This time she did allow the ghost of a smile to brush her lips.

"You ask a lot, Riddick. Those, I've worked on since marriage and birth." He nodded casually. Too casually.

"If you say it can't be done, we'll walk now. Just move without them." The girl stomped down on his foot as hard as she could, spinning out of his reach as he grunted, wincing. She stalked off, furious, and he watched her go with flashing eyes that showed Lena more than he wanted her to see.

"If they're like her, there's a chance."

"Some are. She'll teach the rest to fight for what they really want." The Mother gave him a pointed look.

"And, when she starts fighting for what she really wants?" Riddick's face lit up with a hunger she wasn't surprised to see.

"Then the little girl will be allowed to have it, right along with leadership. When this is done, I walk. Alone. She's my escape."


	14. Chapter 14

14.) A Bonding Moment

An hour later, they were all gathered around a small, smokeless fire, eating and watching with admiration as the Defender Mother handled her army, husband on watch from the shadowy forest around them.

"Someone tell me what mistake was made." She was talking to them all but only the youngest Son dropped his head.

"It was mine. I fell out of formation." The Mother, the Teacher, nodded, voice toneless.

"The wolf again?" He nodded miserably.

"Yes, it still follows." Her tone became stern, forbidding.

"You see the error? Se what could have been?"

"I do and I grieve for the loss of your trust."

"Turn around, youngest Son, see your brothers." He did it quickly, struggling not to cry, and was surprised to see all five on one knee, hoods lowered in respect.

"You alerted us to the Bounty Hunters and lured them away from your family." She pulled the tie from his hair, fingers working fast, smooth. "Your bravery has replaced my trust and you will receive a new lock each for your courage and willingness to give yourself for your own." She replaced the tie and her tone didn't change as she gave him a solid smack to the back of the head.

"Don't ever do that again." He took his place proudly and the Mother turned back to the others sitting around the small flames, pretending their approving smiles didn't make her feel good.

"We'll need to line up transportation. Once they find the bunker gone, they'll hunt us in real force." Riddick nodded, finishing a second cup of thick, sweet soup the youngest boy had made, fighting the feeling of rightness that had settled over the camp, over him. They weren't really his people, no matter how good it felt. He was just...babysitting.

"We should leave come dawn. They'll send more men here when the bounty hunter don't check in." The Wizard stated and Lena nodded.

"The Slavers and Merc's have been turned loose on this planet by it's own government, paid by each body they bring in. They deserve to die. My right hand to see it happen."

"Have we settled on a plan for the door?" Doug asked and the Witch nodded, sitting away from the group by a few feet, Marco on the other side of the group, near Tori.

"They've been after me for a while. Might as well let 'em have what they want."

"After you for what?" Doug asked, drawing a frown from the blond woman at his side, and Vanica's voice filled with cool satisfaction.

"A hit here, a slap there. What ever I could manage." Everyone listening knew it was more than that and Marco couldn't let it go.

"Yes, Vanica has a thing for soldiers, don't you?" She nodded, eyes full of warning at his tone.

"Their blood is the sweetest." Marco started to respond and when he saw her fingers go to the handle of her knife, he snapped his mouth shut. Riddick grinned.

"Wise man."

"I've been near South Bunker 12." The Witch stated, watching the girl drop down at Riddick's booted feet. "It looked light but I thought I sensed our kind, so maybe it's a trap."

"Sensed them and just kept going, right? Left them to their chains?" Tori asked angrily and the Witch seemed confused by her reaction.

"It's not my fight." The girl snorted, rolling her eyes, and Riddick's lips curved the smallest bit.

"She musta heard that somewhere before." Vanica grinned, understanding what hadn't been said.

"Aahh. She wore you down. I have one of those. Best put it on a leash now, while you still can." Marco and the girl flushed.

"A leader can't wear chains." Everyone looked at Riddick, unsure except for Lena and the Witch, and Vanica looked hard at the girl, wondering just what the Furyan saw in her. She could find out, just push in a bit. With all these people here, the younger female likely wouldn't even notice.

"What does he see?" She muttered, violet eyes darkening to black.

The conversation went on around her as she concentrated and the static in the air grew, became charged. Only a few people noticed it, Riddick of course, Lena and her men, and the girl, though she pretended to be as ignorant as the others of her group.

Vanica waited for the right moment, invading a mind a delicate thing and when the girl yawned, the Witch mumbled, raising a finger in a familiar pattern as she shoved her way into the darkness.

Tori's movement was fast. So fast, the Witch cringed, unable to avoid the ball of flame, and it was Marco who'd known, who stepped between them to take the fiery hit.

"Damn, that was quick!"

"She's a fire elemental!"

Marco fell to his knees as the flames grew and Vanica reacted, waved her hand. The fire vanished and as the burned Wizard moved his own hands, the wounds and charred clothing disappeared.

Tori had stood as she threw and was now waiting with fire dancing across her fingertips. Riddick and Lena hadn't moved but they watched as closely as everyone else.

"I should kill you." Tori nodded, eyes full of rage.

"And, soon. He's old, I'm young. Next time, he might not get there in time." They both ignored the muttering camp and Vanica nodded, respect in her tone.

"I shouldn't have invaded. You have my sorry, Flamethrower." The girl glowered, fire still caressing her hand, fury still white-hot.

"And, you have mine. I could have been faster." The girl moved toward the darkness, the flames lighting her way.

"Should I go talk to her?" Vanica asked and Riddick shrugged, those she'd traveled with shaking their heads.

"I'd let her cool off. She's kinda temperamental." The Witch smiled a woman's smile.

"Aren't we all?"


	15. Chapter 15

15.) Walking Dead Men

The captive woman and child looked up at the same time, her chains rattling, heads tilting in an identical fashion that declared them mother and son despite the difference between their black and white skin and black and blond hair.

The two prisoners listened with longing to the energy, to the call for warrior's as it carried thru the 20 x 20 cell that held only a second, small cage, and nothing else.

The thin boy looked at his mother with hope in his blue and red eyes and she shook her head, aware of their audience despite being alone in the holding cell.

"It's not for us. No one knows we're here." Heart breaking disappointment flooded the ten year old child's pale face and she forced herself to keep talking for the benefit of those not only watching and listening, but recording her every word. "Besides, they keep me too drugged to answer."

The soldier's here had picked up on the wave of Furyan energy, she had no doubt. It was how they'd caught her, she'd always assumed, not wanting to believe one of their small group had turned traitor. They'd developed a way to track the energy before starting the war, back when they were still planning the betrayal of their own people and wanted to know where their invited space guests were hiding. She wanted to call out, wanted to warn her people they would be hunted but she hadn't lied. They took no chances with her now, a gun to her sons head anytime they wanted her to do something that required her being fully alert. She'd taught them that caution after they'd murdered her husband in front of her them. She'd killed three doctors and seven guards in retaliation and only a lucky dart fired in dying reflex had stopped her from killing them all. This time, nothing would.

Sammi looked at the silently crying child huddled over her bare, filthy, frozen feet, their only blanket wrapped around his thin shoulders, and she felt the ball of rage in the pit of her stomach grow hotter. He hadn't spoken at all since his fathers body had been drug carelessly away, hadn't seen a decent meal or even the sun in months. Her once happy boy had been hurt so much, had changed so much, and it wasn't over. She had to find a way out of here before these Mad Doctors tired of playing with the adult and moved onto the child. She would be killed at that point and he would be alone.

The Alien turned her head back to the view window disguised as a mirror, to the shadows of the two soldiers her eyes said were lurking there.

"Make a mistake." She muttered lowly. "Just one, and none of you will leave here alive."

The two men watching from the other side of the two-way glass exchanged uneasy looks when she kept staring at them, not moving, not even blinking. Just glaring with hatred clear in her stormy blue depths. If looks could kill…

"She knows we're here, right?" The Private asked, eying the bare legs and pointed nipples they could see thru the thin gown she wore.

"Sure." The wide shouldered Marine fingered the holster of his gun like he always did when he was nervous. "The Medic's say she can see who's in each of the rooms that touch hers and maybe a little further. Something about their eyes."

"How long do you think before the order come down to split them up and eliminate her?" The higher ranking man shrugged, writing her reaction in the daily log.

"Not long. They say they've learned all they can from her and these calls make them nervous. If she were to get an answer out, others like her might come." The shorter, younger soldier lowered his voice though they were alone and the recorder was off.

"We could hit her with a dart and take a turn. Brass would never know." The Sergeant shook his head, stomach churning at the very thought and he hit the button but felt no better when the second shield slid up, hiding those bright blue eyes. They were those of a seasoned hunter, a killer, waiting, watching for them to make a mistake.

"I just got this promotion. Aint had it long enough to die yet." He pointed to one of the monitors, where the main Bunker door was sliding open. "Besides, we've got company."

Heavy footsteps stopped outside the dank cell and the captive woman looked at her son with worried eyes.

"Get in the cage. Stay there no matter what." He moved quickly as the door opened and they both watched the man they hated most in the world step into their small cell, followed by a heavy guard.

Flashes of their airfield battle filled her mind and anger boiled beneath the surface. The soldiers watching were horrified by the odd, lumpy shapes that were moving under the dirty blonds bruised skin and they stepped back as shadows danced and disappeared. Donre didn't move.

"What the hell was that?"

"She sick?"

"She's not got the ills. She's a Tavallo's. A Shifter."

"A Fucking Vallo." One of the Bunker men muttered and Donre explained it to his young Lieutenant as the other men snickered.

"Tavallo's are a bug people. He called her a space roach." There was another round of laughter at Donre's wording and he held up a hand for silence as he moved toward the captive, seeming pleased that her eyes were blazing with hate.

"It's so nice to be remembered." He grinned cruelly. "How's life been since I slit your husbands throat?" Sammi lunged at him, the heavy chains strained as they snapped her back, many of the soldiers flinching but not Donre and not his new Lt., which he noticed.

"We gave him a decent burial. By fire, I believe." Her face became neutral, realizing he wanted something from her. Otherwise, why would he have come? What did she still have that he could want? Information. The same thing that had gotten her mate killed.

"Your son will suffer the same fate." Unable to stop herself, the mother let a wave of fear and fury escape, slamming out of her chest to blow the overhead lights in every room as it traveled thru the long basement bunker. Mirrors shattered, glass sprayed down on men's heads, and she met Donre's eyes with a coolness that said even chained and drugged, she was still dangerous.

"What do you want?" He waved at the soldiers listening closely.

"Get out. All of you."

They moved out the door with relieved looks, all except his new right hand man, and when they locked eyes for a moment, Donre nodded. Finally, a Tanakan with a spine. When the general turned those pale green eyes toward the cracked glass of the two way mirror, Sammi knew the men in there had left as well. Except for the recorder, they were alone.

"I'll ask, you answer. You lie, I'll make him scream while you watch." Satisfied he had made his point, Donre's eyes and tone became business like.

"Where were you headed in the plane?"

"To Roswell."

"Why?"

"To met others there."

"What others?"

"Others like us, who believe in the foretelling." She looked at him with tired, depressed eyes that said she knew her death wouldn't be long in coming.

"The Warrior has come. He's here and it will happen even without my race." Donre nodded.

"The soldiers won't listen and by the time they do, it won't matter. Already their men are nervous, quick to run or shoot. Five whole platoons are gone." She almost smiled.

"You can't stop it anymore than they can. You'll only be part of it." Donre grinned.

"I already am." He looked at the odd, angry eyes of her son and then back.

"Where will they meet him?" She shrugged, not looking away.

"They'll track the waves, same as you."

"Where will they go? Is there a ship waiting?" She did smile this time.

"Everything they need is in the big bunker." He shook his head.

"Not a ship. They don..." His eyes widened. "They know of the prototypes the soldiers work on for their own space escape?" Sammi nodded, glad he couldn't see her son's confused face. She'd learned interrogation from the best.

"But, it will hold hundreds. How many come to his aid?" She shrugged again.

"It only says many fighters from many races will answer the Heir's call." His pale green eyes lit up.

"They also say he came for family." Her voice was mocking.

"Yes. You've been hunting them for years but you missed one, General." Her smiled died as he pulled his machete and stepped closer, suddenly menacing.

"Where is he?" Before she could lie, he slashed a long, shallow groove down her thin thigh, drawing thick beads of blood. She shook her head.

"I don't know! Only a few.. Wait!"She gave in as he started to move toward her boy and he stopped, looked back at her with expectant eyes.

"Where?" The fight drained out of her and she closed her eyes.

"Mt. Caves in the Badlands." Donre turned toward the door as the private and Sergeant came in. The Lt. Stepped between them and the General, impressing his new boss, and their eyes went over the machete, the blood, and then glazed over.

"Sorry, sir. Base says Snake has a new location on the big group you're looking for, just west of South Bunker 12 this morning." Donre put away his weapon, missing the shocked look on Sammi's face. Snake?

"Informants are also nice. Stone will be sent out now and with any luck, he'll be the one to take care of the problem." He saw the grimy Private's eyes crawling over the chained woman and looked at the two men.

"Up her dosage and have a turn. She doesn't have much time left anyway."

"But our orders.." Micheals protested and the general shrugged, stepping around them.

"Pillaging the enemy's property is a part of war, is it not? Besides, she's lonely. She told me so." He waved a hand at the smirking Lt. as he left the cell.

"Come on. Let's get supplied for the caves."

"But, you said Stone would..." Donre turned those menacing eyes on his second in command.

"Will you stake your life on it?" The soldier swallowed, shook his head. Major Stoneheart was good but the Lt. only put that kind of faith in himself. He had no doubts about the General's bluffing capacity. He had none.

"No sir! Extra darts and lights, top of the list."

Sammi's eyes were bright with dread as the Private moved toward her, slimy eyes all over her as he worked the buckle of his pants, Micheals in the hallway as lookout, not sure if he would take his turn or not.

"I'll kill your boy. My life on it." He whispered harshly and she answered by spreading her shackles legs as far as she could, turning her head.

"He'll die for it, Mother." Her son vowed, turning his back to the grunting, the cries of his parent, the offensive, rhythmic clapping noises of the chains as the soldier hurt her. "My life on it."

"A large convoy just left the Bunker. They were guarding a plated Hummer and they sent out another patrol ahead of them. Did we miss something?" Vanica shrugged.

"Not on the outside. Your boy's would have seen it." The Defender was caught off guard at the compliment and she frowned at the Witch's pale face in the cool dimness. "You okay?" Vanica didn't answer, clearly didn't want her concern as she sharpened her knife on a stone, and Lena stepped closer, worried despite herself.

"Are you ill?"

"She's weak from the battle with you." Marco aid from the thin shadows behind them, contempt lacing his voice. "And, she won't feed from Riddick's flock." Lena frowned at him, blue eyes hard in the dusk.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Marco waved a hand at the way the Witch stumbled a bit as she stood, bracing herself on a nearby tree.

"She starves herself for people he himself has no real compassion for." The Defender shook her head.

"You're wrong. He does care."

"You see what you want." The Wizard said, turing away. "But, when it comes down to it, he only wants to escape his past, and when it catches up with him, he'll sacrifice any of us to be free again." There was silence as Marco shimmered, vanished into the dense shadows of the dying forest around them, and Lena frowned at the ring of truth to his words.

"He's likely right. Riddick wants only to be left alone." Vanica stated quietly, not looking at her. "Only the girl has a hold on him and it's not nearly as strong as she thinks."

"Why not feed from them, then?" The Mother asked bluntly and was surprised to see honest confusion on the Witch's pale face.

"Feels wrong to even consider." She shook her light head, trying to clear the fog of hunger.

"Getting old, maybe." Lena grinned at her.

"Hell. Maybe you are one of the good guys." Vanica rolled her eyes, simply too famished to be snotty.

"I hope not. If this is what it's like to have a conscience, I'd rather be pure evil. It's a lot easier." Lena headed toward the rest of their small group of fighters.

"Well, come on then. Now's the time to strike the bunker, while they're short on men, and pure evil will due just fine."


	16. Chapter 16

16.) Deceptive Choices

Riddick, Doug, and Raylen watched from the thick, strange woods, staying hidden as Vanica and Marco headed toward the five heavily armed Soldiers guarding the Bunker's only above ground entrance. Marco was shimmering, staying out of sight and just before stepping into view of the small compound, the Witch waved a hand and her appearance immediately changed. The long blond curls, short red skirt, and ripped white top of their first meeting returning, and she drew in a calming breath, having trouble staying focused. The anticipation of a much needed meal was making her blood pound almost too loudly to hear over.

"Help!" The piercing scream made all the men turn but none of them left their posts around the heavy metal door.

"Help!" She came thru the tall weeds t a fast limp, pleased to see lowered guns and male grins as she headed for the only one of them alert enough to look behind her for who ever she might be fleeing from. The man in charge. At least out here. Her hunger roared its approval at his good health, his strong life force, and it wasn't an act when she stumbled, falling into his arms. He was forced to let go of his weapon to keep from falling too, and she clung to him, mouth watering at his scent.

"Hey!"

"Look at that!"

"You okay?" She shook her head, leg 'accidentally' brushing his already hard flesh as he steadied them.

"Chased! Being chased by.. One of those things! An alien!" She dissolved into real tears, waiting for a meal heard when she so hungry, and the men frowned, looking at each other.

"How does she know it was an alien?" One of the more alert men asked and Micheals held her back, eyeing her exposed body. The Bitch below was repulsive to him but this woman was a civilian, fair game.

"Well?" She let more tears cloud the dangerous want in her own eyes.

"He said he was taking me to his ship!" She pressed against him, red haze threatening her control, and she trembled delicately in his arms, felt him respond.

"You'll let me stay, right? I'm all alone now." The soldier shared a grin with his men, none of them noticing the shadow that shimmered to the right of the big door.

"That depends." He said, sliding his hands roughly down her hips, pulling her closer.

"Are you a friendly girl?" The Huntress let a shudder of want escape.

"I don't ..I've never.." She felt the change instantly, had done it to get him to take her inside sooner, and he did just that, moving them to the steel door before any of them could challenge him for her.

"Open up!"

"Pass code?"

"Fireflies or some shit. Open up!" The huge door rolled back and a shadow slipped thru, dark eyes watching the controls and the door guard, as Vanica and her prey stepped inside the long, dim hall.

"Hey! You can't bring her in here!" Micheals steered her toward a nearby storage closet, ignoring the other man's protests. His hands roamed freely, body tight, and Vanica let him get the door open before pulling back.

"Wait!" She dug in her heels, stopping them. "There's one down here! I can smell it! Let me go!" He crushed her to his chest, hand going over her mouth.

"It's okay. She's chained in the very back bottom of this place." Vanica twisted, letting her ass slide against him as she struggled.

"No! Let me out!" The soldier grabbed her shoulder in a rough grip that stilled her movements.

"Relax. She's used up. We're expecting orders to get rid of her any day now." The Witch looked at him, lips moist, mouth watering.

"You promise?" The man grinned.

"She's nothing now. We hear the uppers are using her until the words comes." He tugged her toward the open door. "Come on. I brought you inside where it's safe and I'll look out for you." He lied, already wondering how much he could charge for a turn with her as his hand worked the buckle of his pants. "Are you ready to thank me?" The Witch let him pull her into the darkness, eyes glowing red as the closet door shut behind them.

"I can't wait." "Me eith.. Aahhhh!"

Marco attacked as the door guard turned toward the scream and a second after the body crumbled to the floor in a puff of dust, the bunker was open to invasion and the three hidden Furyan's outside ambushed the four soldiers on watch, who were distracted by the sound of the door opening again so soon and looked away at the wrong moment.

Riddick, Doug, and Lena stepped into the cool, dank bunker in time to hear a last gurgling scream from the closet and the Wizard's face was bitter as he shrugged, meeting Riddick's eyes with jealousy and disgust.

"She really does have a thing for soldiers." They all turned as the door opened and the Witch stepped out, only the blond hair of her disguise remaining, curls and face sprayed with red, and she licked her finger, eyes and skin glowing with fresh color and health.

"Did he stick to his story?" Marco asked, not looking at her as she nodded, headed down the long corridor.

"And, to my teeth." She worked on it as she went and Riddick followed, lips twitching, and Doug joined the Wizard, took up his place near the door to meet any patrols that might return.

Riddick and Lena followed the Witch, all listening hard for a trap but there were no signs of life in any of the filthy halls or dark dorm-style rooms they passed until they got to the very last hallway on the bottom floor of the rat infested bunker.

The last hall of cells was wired and Vanica muttered lowly, forking her hand at the video feed over the cell door and it exploded, pieces of twisted plastic and sparks flying and she took out the nearest lights the same way. Plunged into comforting darkness, the trio prepared to move in, listening and using hand signals that none of them had trouble following or seeing. They had never worked together before, had only a rudimentary plan, but it was clear they were equals.

Riddick kicked the door off its hinges, ducking gunfire as both women tossed smoke grenades inside the crowded cell. There was a blinding flash, then another, and then the screaming began as the Furyan's attacked without mercy. Blades flashed, arrows flew, men grunted, falling, shooting each other in the confusion. They were well trained and heavily armed but easily outmatched by the angry Furyan's and the battle lasted for less than a minute, 12 more soldiers, dead.

"I'll kill her! Stay back!" The last man standing had his knife to the very drugged captive's throat, eyes darting fearfully between the three aliens approaching him with hard faces, judging the best was to eliminate him.

Riddick moved first and then stopped a couple feet away as a pale, black headed boy of about 10 came from the dark shadows of a small dogrun in the corner. The child stared at Riddick, face never changing expression as they spoke silently.

"Get your hands up!" The Private shouted, fear in his tone, and Riddick nodded as he did it, reading the fate of this soldier in the filthy boy's eyes. Death had just come for all the rest but for this man, it had been here all along.

"As you wish." The child's move was incredibly fast, pulling the curved blade from Riddick's belt as he turned, throwing a beautiful curve that slid into the soldier's wrist before he could react, severing an artery that began to gush blood as two knives fell to the dirty floor.

"Aahhhh!" The Private hit his knee, cradling his wrist as he tried to back away from the angry child with the glowing red eyes, only to find himself trapped by the same wall he'd used to hold the woman while he raped her.

"You hurt my mommy!" The boy accused, head suddenly changing shape and the soldier screamed when the child's mouth tripled in size, his skin dancing with bulging shadows, and he screamed again when the young Tavallo's fell on him, long claws holding, ripping, gouging.

"Hey! The monster I asked for."

"Awe, ain't he cute!" The Witch cooed and Lena shuddered, hurrying to free the moaning captive, covering her exposed body with the cloak from her own back, supporting her slight weight when her own legs wouldn't.

"We need to go." A belch echoed and Vanica moved to the child, voice full of adoring satisfaction.

"Come on, sweetheart. Let's get out of here." She picked the misshapen child up without hesitation, swinging him onto her back, and when he nuzzled her blood streaked hair with his huge mouth, Vanica patted him comfortingly.

"You're welcome and you're a good son for what you did, yes you are." Riddick and Lena exchanged glances, shaking their heads, and then they were all moving back up the dark hallway, leaving a roomful of death and destruction. The enemies.

"Pop, pop, pop!" Gunfire echoed above them, along with shouts.

"A patrol returned. We'll have to fight our way out." Riddick shrugged.

"Planned on it anyway." Lena pointed up.

"We could hide and just get them out. Find what we need somewhere else."

"But, the supplies are what we came for, not them." Vanica protested and they both looked to Riddick.

"Only way to get them now is to fight." He looked at the slowly waking POW, sharp eyes knowing abuse when he saw it. "And, maybe we owe a little more for what happened here." The Witch nodded eagerly and Lena shrugged, voice and face expressionless.

"Help me put her up there. Can't fight and guard too."

They moved together, blowing lights as they went, and the first squad of soldiers to come down the stairs from the ground floor never knew what hit them as the Furyan's grabbed them from the darkness. Outnumbered again, the Furyan's turf was this pitch black battlefield and when the bodies were scattered and motionless on the stone floor, Lena and the Witch started up the stairs.

"Wait." Riddick said quietly. "Till it's over down here." Lighter footsteps came to them and the killers vanished into the thick shadows, spiders hunting trapped flies.

"Sergeant Micheals? Private?" The Major didn't want to go down into that dank darkness. He knew his death waited for him at the bottom of those stairs but the dozen men watching him from the main door expected it and he began the decent slowly, torn between duty and cowardice.

The Major's men listened hard, edging closer, and they passed a dead man that really wasn't and a hidden Magician, without noticing.

"Oh, God! There's aaahhh!" The men in the hall paled ,backing up at the wet, crunching sounds, guns aimed at the steps and all of them jumped, spun at the loud rattling noise of the main door closing.

Marco grinned, dropped the bullet that had caught him in the neck when the small squad had retuned and saw the bodies outside.

"You guys can't leave yet. Not now." Doug stepped out of the shadows, studded club in hand, fire in his eyes.

"Not ever!" The soldiers looked back at the steps to see Riddick and Vanica moving quickly up the hall towards them, covered in blood and blowing lights as the battle began. Necks snapped, throats were ripped out, skulls were crushed, and warm wetness sprayed the walls as soldiers fell, most dying before they could scream.

Lena came up the hall with the woman on her back and the child at her side, worry lurking beneath the shadows.

"She says the camera's are live. More men are on the way. They also know we're headed to the caves.' Everyone looked at Riddick.

"We leave in ten minutes. Carry what you find. We'll catch up to the others. Strength in numbers." No one spoke, most thinking that wasn't really true considering the weak, needy people of their group, and Riddick read it, lowered his goggles.

"Decide now. Catch up or go on without them?" Doug began to protest and Lena waved a hand.

"I'm with him. We catch up."

"You could call your men to you." Vanica stated.

"But, I won't." The Defender retorted sharply. "I don't quit when thing get rough." She looked at Riddick. "You'd leave her behind." Doug snorted.

"Leave her hell. She'll track him down."

"So, what's it to be? Will you take this chance to walk?" Riddick turned away.

"I made a deal. I'll see it thru." He headed for a door marked Weapons, Authorized Personnel Only, and Raylen helped the dark-skinned captive onto the guards chair and followed.

"You have my respect. You're choice is likely one you'll regret."

"Been that way my whole life." He kicked in the door, stepped into the dark. "No reason it should change now."


	17. Chapter 17

17.) Battle Lines in the Fog

"Something's wrong." Vanica stated as they stepped outside into full darkness, belts heavy with supplies. Riddick nodded, staring into the gloom. The wind blew sharply, speaking of death and destiny, of a fate card being played, and he frowned at the familiar feeling.

"Wrong with what?" Doug asked and the Witch waved a hand toward where Riddick was standing, listening, choosing.

"With the camp. Something's about to happen there." The Defender's face tightened.

"What?" Vanica prepared to draw on her magic but Lena's word stopped her.

"They might be able to track your energy too."

"So, how do we find out?" Doug asked and Riddick pulled his cloak tighter.

"We get there at daylight instead of afternoon, when they expect us."

"What about them?" Lena asked, gesturing at the closely listening mother and child they'd rescued.

"We'll carry them." Riddick moved towards the blond that had yet to speak to any of them yet except Lena, and she looked up with wary blue eyes as he stopped in front of her.

"Your choice. If you come, you'll both be in danger. We have a hard road ahead." Sammi shook her head.

"We thank you for the freedom but in this condition, we would not keep it long." She looked at him with a red, pulsing light in her tired eyes. "We'd go home. You'd protect us?" His voice was hard.

"A life off this dead world. I claim nothing more." She nodded, tone mocked him.

"So much for a hero." Riddick turned away.

"The hero's are dead. Take what you can get." He waved at Doug. "You carry her first, then the Defender, then me." Vanica picked up the happy looking boy without being told and they were moving together through the damp, dark forest seconds later, the mutated wildlife scrambling to get out of their way.

The girl swung her knife wildly, making the soldier think she had no skill, and when he came forward, she leaned into him, thrusting the blade deep, ripping her arm upward, splitting him open. Then she was moving back, ducking another soldier, kicking his ankles out from an under him as she rolled past. He fired the dart into the back of her neck and red sprayed them both as she spun back and slit his throat.

Tori jumped away, smacking the dart loose as the next three men moved closer, and she was vaguely aware of the two oldest Defender boys fighting their way toward her, arrows, knives, and darts flying at the surprised soldiers who hadn't expected resistance from kids.

Tori screamed her fury and it flew from her hands, the orange flames engulfing the three stunned men from head to foot. Before they could start screaming, they were mowed down by their own, caught in the crossfire that Major Stone suddenly ordered. She was dangerous. Taking her body back was fine with him.

"Get her!" She jumped over outstretched hands, firing from her holster the way the Defender's had taught her and she flipped over the tree branch to land beside the oldest boys. They grinned at her, clothes and faces as bloody as hers.

"No mercy!" She shouted and they echoed her cry as all around them, soldiers and Furyan's battled, were hit, fell.

Tori felt the last boy collapse behind her and shook her head, vision blurring as her arm lit up with pain. Was she wounded? Grayness threatened and she fought it too. She had to hold on until Riddick came. He was close, she could feel it, and she sliced to the right, shot to her left, ducked more darts, blew them out of the air.

They had her surrounded now, the last one standing, and her body threatened to give out from what ever they'd shot her with. She called on her reserve strength and the flames that spewed from her hands traveled the circle of soldiers around her, instantly turning those closest into torches that screamed and clawed at their burning skin.

The girl stumbled as pain shot into her back and she dropped the shiv, vision dimming as more soldiers came. She raised her hand to her head, muttering a cover spell, and when she flung her arm toward them, the men backed away in fear. The fire was small though, dying almost as soon as it hit the air, and she slid to her knees, then the ground. Riddick! She had to warn him.

'Trap! Trap!'

Riddick stopped in the dawn's dim light as waves of Furyan energy rushed past. The dirt under their boots trembled, the sky ahead flashing with unusual colors, and the fog they'd been running thru began to increase, rolling along the ground in thick, knee high banks of dense white.

"Trap! Trap!" The call was blurry but strong and the Witch looked at him with impressed eyes.

"They use powerful drugs to keep calls from getting out. She's definitely one of us." Riddick slid the dark-skinned woman from his back and broke into an incredibly fast run, anger in every movement, and the others were close behind, ready to kill or die to help him defend what was his.

They knew the ambush sight by the awkward silence of the forest around it. Nothing moved in the foggy dawn, not even the wind, and Riddick went faster instead of stopping as the trucks and soldiers came into view thru the shifting white. He dropped beneath the thick fog and rolled into the captive camp unnoticed, his crew close behind.

"Hurry up! Base says the bunker's gone. They could be close by now!" Dabney nodded, hefting the thin, black robed teenager over his shoulder and was glad when the Major moved on to chew someone else's ass.

The fog swirled thickly around the men as they moved, covering bodies and they had to feel around blindly for the prisoners before they could put them inside the long, titanium plated semi's, wrists cuffed to the floor. It was ugly work, like pulling dead from their coffins, and Dabney was also glad they only had a couple of the dangerous aliens left to gather up.

"Got half of us. Bunch of damn kids." He muttered, letting the boy's body thump heavily to the truck a he unburdened himself. They'd hit the adults first and it was a good thing they had. If they kids did this kind of damage, what were their parents capable of?

Dabney turned toward where the girl went down, knowing none of the lower ranking men would get near her after she'd killed the first one to touch her body by simply pulling the pin on a grenade as she passed out, her weight keeping it from detonating. When the soldier had lifted her up, it had exploded, blowing his legs off, and the redhead on his shoulder had disappeared beneath the fog again.

"Need a raise." Dabney muttered to himself. "And, someone needs to cut her claws while she's locked up." He stated, thinking he just might be the man for that job, but his feet were slow in going to get her, even though she had triple the amount of drugs in her that the others did.

"Come on, dabs! Get the Bitch and lets go." He frowned at the Major's words but only nodded, kneeling down to plunge his hands into the fog. Her wet skin wouldn't budge, felt like stone. Had the drugs killed the teenager? He'd fired two of the shots himself, he realized with a feeling of dread. He was sure to get in deep shit for this. He swiped at the thick mist, looking for her face and instead, a pair of furiously bright blue eyes glared at him. Then he was jerked forward onto a hungry blade and vanished beneath the bank of white, swirling clouds without making a sound.

Only a couple of men had seen his disappearance, most busy chaining down the POW's and only Major Stone saw what looked like a shadow moving beneath the thickening fog.

"Dab's?" The C/O's nervous voice drew the men to him, weapons out in his defense.

"Come on, Dabney! Stop fucking around!" There was only an unnatural silence, eerie and cold, and the Major waved at the three men closest to him.

"Get the girl." The well trained soldiers moved forward confidently, and as the first to knelt down, the third kept his gun ready and eyes open. It didn't help.

Their hands were searching below the thigh high clouds of white and then they were grabbed, pulled under, and the ground at their feet ran red with blood.

"Hey!"

"You see that?"

"What the..." The third soldier moved forward, not wanting to open fire on what he couldn't see, and then he was hit in the sweet spot, falling backward and he too dropped beneath the fog, bloody hands clutching at empty air before vanishing, jerked under.

The remaining soldiers were firing wildly into the swirling mist now, running for the trucks, and the Major watched them get cut off by dark shadows, silver gleaming and red pattering. All around him, his men were falling into the thick fog and not getting back up, and then the Major felt the brush of something against his leg, saw the light turn dark, and then the shiv was flashing and he too was falling, shouting as he died. He was the only one who'd had time to scream, and other than Dabney, he was the only one to catch a glimpse of who they were fighting.

"Tori." The girl groaned, hand rising to her aching head.

"Come on. Open your eyes." She struggled to obey but it was hard fighting her way through the banks of white still in her mind.

"She'll be okay." She heard more voices then, the movements of the people around her, and she fought thru the fog, slowly opened her lids as memories came back in the wrong order. Disoriented, she wasn't sure what to expect, and it was a huge relief to see flashing blue eyes above her.

"Riddick?" He stared back for a long moment, said nothing but she could almost feel the smoke rolling out of his ears. He was on the edge of leaving them. Again.

"What happened?" She sat up slowly, pushing away hands that wanted to help her, and she looked around at the bloody, dazed refugees and dead soldiers that the receding fog revealed.

"They tried to lay a trap."

"Did we lose anyone?" Devon nodded, the Defender Father glad to see Riddick still here as well. The fog made great cover.

"Two of the teens that came to area 51 with you. We've seen to them." Riddick turned from the grateful tone, the thankful eyes, moving towards the woods.

"Didn't know who they were Fuckin with." He growled, sounding pissed as his voice lowered to a granite mutter. "Neither do any of you." The girl pushed aside hands wanting to hold her back and she moved carefully after him.

"Wait." He stopped but didn't turn, knew she wanted something more from him this time, something he still didn't want to give.

"Riddick." He frowned as she stepped in front of him, hating the compassion he read in her young, yet old eyes. Clearly, she had an idea now of who he was, of what she'd trapped him into doing, being again and he was angry but when her legs shook, he tugged her against his side, steadying her with his big, strong body. He looked down at her with unreadable blue eyes.

"You're an awful lot of trouble, little girl." She nodded against his arm, eyes closing.

"But, I'm worth it." She frowned, tried to concentrate. "How'd they know we were here? We were quiet. Very quiet."

"You have a traitor." That made her stand back on her own, holding her head as it spun.

"Will vey… they try again?" He nodded, impressed with her stamina and strength after hearing that she'd been the last one standing.

"Yes." He handed her a water bag, looked at her.

"So, what are you gonna do about it?" She scowled, eyes still blurring, and she took a long drink before answering.

"You're the one with all the ex..pierence." He said nothing, waiting, and she recognized the challenge.

"If I were in charge?" He nodded and they both ignored the few refugee's behind her that had recognized the sudden change of leadership and were protesting.

"We have to get out of here, fast. No more on foot." "How?" His eyes were locked on hers but he was also judging the reaction of her people, trying to find her traitor.

"A plane." She said, wincing at a lance of pain shooting thru her forehead. "They'd never be able to sneak up on us because we'd have radar too."

"That's not bad." Marco said from behind her and the girl flinched, hands starting to react, and Riddick stopped her with a light finger to her wrist as their fighters gathered around, talking.

"A plane. We'd be in the Badlands in hours instead of days."

"We'll have to take another bunker, one that houses ships. Those still outside from before the War are ruined from all the magnetic pulses."

"I know where we can get a full cargo plane. Supplies to go with the ride." They all turned to see the dirty blond limping toward them with her sons help and they moved over to include her in the circle.

"Alien Alley." There were surprised looks and immediate arguments.

"They have a lot of firepower. Only dangerous or important prisoners are held there. They're stocked for attacks." Lena stated and the Witch nodded in agreement.

"I love a well armed meal the same as the next girl but that's almost suicide. Two hundred men, easy." Everyone was either considering or arguing lowly over the idea, but their eyes were watching Riddick and the girl.

"Their planes have three weeks of food instead of one like the other bunkers get to keep them under control. They increased Santa Quarry's to cut down on escape attempts." The girl looked at Riddick, eyes glassy, far away.

"Can't starve them out or burn them out and it is suicide to go in like you did with the little bunker." She frowned, trying to shake off the last of the drugs. "There has to.." She blew gently on her hand, calculating, and after a few seconds, began to smile. "We'll surrender ourselves." The Witch nodded, liking the trickery she knew would have to be used and Marco spoke up.

"Bounty Hunters and Merc.'s have pass codes. They'd never believe us if we just show up." The girl nodded.

"We'll surrender to a real bounty hunter, just a few of us, so they won't get suspicious either. They'll take us in and we'll open the doors for the rest." There were more protests but she waited for the one opinion that mattered. Riddick shrugged.

"Be prepared to take losses. All slams have surprises." Was all he said and she nodded.

"We'll wait nearby and watch for a crew taking someone in or leaving."

"It'll be hard to hide the rest of the camp." Lena warned and Sammi's voice drew attention again.

"I can help with that. A little cover." Her son smiled, talked to her for the first time in months, and she wondered if he knew why she really wanted to go, thought maybe he was trying to help her.

"You'll bring the bugs?" She shook her head, hand running lovingly over his cheek.

"Too much of a distraction. I was thinking of a dust storm." Vanica looked impressed.

"Can you show me how?" The blond nodded shyly, clearly not used to being accepted for herself among even her own kind.

"If you like." The girl grinned.

"Ironic. Now, we're gonna hunt a Merc that's hunting us." Riddick's lips thinned.

"Been doin it my whole life to keep the edge." His tone was rueful. "Maybe it'll be someone I know." Tori looked at him.

"We'll use the soldiers trucks to get there?" He stood up.

"Might as well. When these don't return, their leaders with either attack in force or hole up and wait to be attacked." He turned toward the shadows. "Same old shit." The girl followed, head finally clearing.

"What's the problem now?" He kept going and she forced him to stop once they were out of sight, stepping in front of him.

"I saw your face when you said slam. What's the problem?" He only looked at her and she put a light hand on his arm.

"There's nothing you can't tell me." He snorted, shrugging off her gentle touch like it burned him.

"You don't know me, what I'm capable of. If you did, you'd stay clear." He stated flatly and she shook her head.

"Tell me and you'll see you don't have to be scared of us." He moved like lightening and she had no time to react as he lifted her with one arm under her leg, pinning her against a tree with his big body.

"I fear no man!" He growled, eyes furious. "The problem is that I'm still here! You're too much trouble. I should just take off and leave this Fucking rock behind. Alone!" Electricity flashed between them, sharp and thick, and instead of more useless words, the girl leaned into his hold. Riddick jerked back and she stilled, smiling sadly.

"You fear no man, huh?" He grunted, resigned.

"You're not a man." Tori moved fast, pressing her soft lips to the corner of his mouth and his hold tightened instantly, and his low, male growl of need giving her a deep chill. Mating with him would be unlike anything she'd ever known. The kiss was sweet, stunning, and when she pulled back, Riddick let go.

"I'm staying with my people. You do what you have to." She ducked under his arm, moving back toward camp with a thumping heart, and he was as surprised to hear his own words as she was.

"Come with me instead." She stopped at his demand but didn't turn, and he could hear the longing in her voice warring with her determination to make it, to not give in.

"Yesterday, it was all I wanted." She lied "But, I've fought for them now, killed for them, and today, it's just not enough." She left him standing there and when the shadows around him got closer, Riddick didn't turn, didn't look away from the girl's retreating form.

"What?" Devon stopped a few feet away.

"We know who the spy is." That got him to turn and the Defender heard the silent order. Tell me. He nodded, respecting the Furyan for what he really was. The Heir.

"It's Cain, the one with the snake tattoo. The blond woman just told of Donre having an informant named snake. Said he got a tip about us just before he left." Riddick's mind went to the man's disappearing act back in the sewer.

"He didn't get hit with a dart either, was awake the whole time and yet his blade had no knife on it." Riddick nodded.

"Tell the girl." Devon nodded, eyes unreadable.

"Raylen already is." The Father turned away. "Won't you come see what you've created? She'll probably have him killed." Riddick shook his head.

"She'll do it herself. I would." Devon looked over his shoulder.

"Yes, she yearns to be just like you. How many, I wonder, have died for the same thing, never finding out what a miserable, lonely existence you really lead." He was gone a second later and Riddick turned toward the direction of the caves. Staying any longer would triple his time and responsibilities. He could be there in five days alone. The girl may or may not understand what was being asked of him but he was clear on it. He was challenging yet another evil ruler and when it was over? People he cared about would be dead and he would be in charge. Again. No way! He'd been there, done that, and wasn't going..

"No!"

"Stop!"

"Help!"

Riddick entered the camp at a fast run, arriving in time to see the girl slash upward in a beautiful arc, blood spraying from Cain's neck. He fell heavily at her feet and his wife fell over him, crying. Tori looked at her people, some of whom were now shrinking back from her.

"If you're not with us, get out and do it openly. You stay and plot against us, I'll kill you!" She spat at the dead man as she stepped over his sobbing spouse, and her furious eyes met Riddick's over the uneasy camp.

"You in or out?" His lips twitched, eyes flashed.

"In." She nodded, hiding her relief and her desires.

"Good. Let's finish these plans and get the hell out of here. It reeks!"


	18. Chapter 18

18.) Hijinks

As the jeep came into view, sharp eyes picked out three men and one captive, the front passenger man riding backwards with one hand on the gun aimed at their bound, drug hungover prisoner, the other hand fingering a bloody bandage on his neck.

"There it is, Jinks. We made it." The curly headed Merc grinned as the slam gates came into view.

"And, we'll still take a bounty. Too bad about Chaz and Dregs." His smile widened. "Three way splits always better, though." He laughed with his two remaining men, thinking he'd ditch them after they got paid, and he caught the look on the captive's face from the corner of his eye.

"What are you smirking about?" When he didn't get an answer, Jinks delivered a vicious kick to the redheads ankle, making him grunt, eyes snapping up to reveal flames dancing in their black depths.

"Your death, Jinks. Just planning it." The Merc grinned, leaning back against the dash, as the jeep bounced over rough, earthquake-torn ground.

"You had your chance just like the others who've been on my ass this week." The mercenary puled the bandage down to show the nasty, 8 inch knife wound that was bleeding lightly thru jagged hand stitching.

"They couldn't do it and you're slow compared to them." The twenty something prisoner said nothing, sharp, black eyes waiting for his chance, and then a rope was flying over him, tightening around his waist, and he was jerked up into the air, leaving the jeep. He landed hard on his ass in the dirt, the jeep squealing to a halt, and darts slammed into the ground as Jinks opened fire, missed.

"Turn around!" Jinks ordered, reloading with jerky, caught off guard movements. "Dart him!" He screamed, seeing the redhead stand up and his men hurried to obey. Fingers moving too slowly, Jinks followed the rope around his stolen bounty to the other end, finding a lone, tall figure in the road, holding the lasso.

"Riddick." He swung around, looking for the girl who'd almost killed him.

"Which one?" His driver asked, stopping the jeep to aim, the same as the man in the back was doing, and Jinks snatched the gun from his hands.

"Drive, Stupid!" Arrows were flying between them a second later, hitting both guns, knocking them up and out of reach almost simultaneously, and two more shadows stepped from the trees to flank them.

"Shit." The driver started to turn away and Jinks slid his muscled arm around the Merc.'s neck.

"You don't run from an animal!" He growled, letting go only when Gunner nodded. They rolled to a jerky stop, time slowing as they faced the trio of fighters, and the only one to move was the still bound redhead who got out of the line of fire as quickly as he could. Shadows beckoned to him from the nearby woods and he went without hesitation, already sure he would stay with him, instantly knowing who his rescuers were.

Jinks stared at them, the highest payday on the right but the girl was the one he really wanted, needing to hold his head up when asked if he'd killed the bastard who'd slit his throat and left him for dead. He watched with narrowed eyes as she raised the white cloth in her grip, waved it slowly.

"We wish to surrender." She said it coolly, glad of their plans now that she saw the intense hate in the Merc's eyes for her. Even as he frowned, Jinks was adding. His eyes widened just the slightest bit. Enough to consider retirement even after an honest split.

"Why?" He asked suspiciously and Tori slowly slid her sleeves up.

"We're sick. There's a doctor here.' Jinks climbed down slowly, ignoring the worried looks from his crew. He looked them over, eyes crawling over their lack of weapons, pale faces, and huge red and black blisters.

"You guys do that bunker?" There was no answer and the Merc. in the backseat climbed out, cuffs in hand.

"Let's see if they're bluffing. I've got all my shots." Dale went to Riddick first because he was the highest bounty and the male, and when the big man let himself be restrained with no problem, Jinks grinned.

"My lucky Fucking day. All right. Walk on in. Gunner here will watch my back and if you twitch the wrong way, I'll use the real bullets." He grinned again. "All out of darts." They stepped passed him casually and the Dale drew back at the sight of the crusted sores on pale skin of their necks.

"What the hell is that?" Gunner shrugged from the drivers seat.

"Looks like the start of the Rage sickness their kind get." "Is it catching?" The scarred bounty hunter watched as Jinks checked cuffs.

"Very. Aint no shots for it. Have to come in contact thru blood or sex, though. It's why they turned 'em loose in the Badlands. Figured they'd kill or turn everyone in hiding. They plan to bomb in next month." Jinks slapped his driver on the shoulder.

"Let's get this train rollin."

"Won't they put us in quarantine too?" That stopped Jinks and he and Gunner exchanged frowns.

"Yeah." He fired a shot over Riddick's head and the Furyan's, who'd heard it all, stopped and turned, waiting.

"Put your hoods up. Cover those sores." No one moved for a long moment and then Jinks waved a hand. "They don't find out till after we're gone or I'll make this Bitch pay for what she did to me." Riddick's lips tightened, but he pulled up his hood and the other followed suit. Jinks was all shit eating grin again.

"Gonna visit the hob and play some cards. This is my lucky Fucking day."


	19. Chapter 19

19.) Alien Alley

The smells of people being held in neglectful captivity hit them as they came inside the towering red brick walls that were almost black from the grime. There was only a single door to the spiral stacked prison and a dim, narrow hall ran down the middle of long rows of cell blocks. More passages branched off from the first, most patrolled by soldiers walking past a set number of the crammed cages.

Floor to ceiling, the cells were stacked like boxes in a cargo hold, built to fit three, 10 x 7 personal jails every fifteen feet in every direction. Garbage littered the floors and odd, flickering lights hummed above them from the lack of regular service.

Each of the suddenly nervous Merc's took a prisoner, forced to walk single file because of the narrow hall of horror and Riddick gradually let himself fall back, not looking but knowing the Defender had made it inside. The dust storm had helped a lot, getting bad right about the time the guards were opening the gates to let Jinks and his catch inside.

The heavy door rolled closed, echoing loudly, and Riddick was unable to stop himself from looking back, blue eyes flashing as he stopped.

"Problem?" Jinks asked, voice saying he hadn't been as fooled as the rest, and Riddick nodded, turning back to see the other four disappearing down the long, deserted hall.

"There is for you." Riddick spun, hands suddenly free and wrapping around the Merc's injured throat. He struggled as the gravity of what had happened filled his doomed eyes.

"Shoulda ghosted me when you had the chance." There was an awful cracking noise, but no witnesses and Riddick dropped the body into the nearest brick window-well. Noticing movement, Riddick stared in anger at the glass in the bottom of it. There was a face watching him. They even had cells sandwiched between the floors. He'd estimated 200 from the outside but that number had just doubled and he didn't meet any eyes that pressed closer for a better look at him.

They were screaming now, some to get his attention, some just because they could, banging on the glass continuously, distractingly, and yet, he didn't flinch when the Defender appeared at his side, having borrowed one of Vanica's charms. She looked just like a soldier, had come in with the last patrol, the Slam now unguarded from the outside and about to be swallowed by sand.

"Some of these have Furyan blood." He nodded but said nothing and like him, Lena didn't make eye contact with the animals in their cages. It was best not to give false hope. These people wouldn't be released. There was just no way to know if they deserved to be here.

They moved silently up the dirty hall, slow in their movements to keep from being seen by the sets of soldiers guarding each dim row of cells, hearing the raised voices of a suddenly skittish crew.

"Where'd they go?"Dale asked, looking over his shoulder as Gunner entered the codes that would get them into heavily armed safety.

"Beats the hell outa me." Gunner was distracted, trying to get the numbers right the first time for a change and he jabbed at the dusty console. "Man, this was a bad idea." Dale took his eyes off the females for only a second to look back again.

"Just now figurin that out?" The Girl asked, the code just used memorized in an instant and Gunner turned, stopped, stunned at the sight of Riddick walking up the hall without Jinks and unbound.

The Girl spun, her blade slicing into the neck of the soldier watching the guard booth, her second swipe hitting the camera above them. Vanica took out the second soldier with a nasty cut across the throat, making sure it would do the job this time and they shoved the two surprised Merc's back, fighting for guns and then Riddick was there, knife ending the girl's battle with Dale. Gunner dropped his weapon, backing up.

"Don't kill me! I'll help you." He choked it out, his fear telling them he had nothing they needed and the Witch stepped in front of him.

"You already have." She whispered it lovingly and lunged forward, teeth latching onto his throat. Sweet and coppery blood gushed into her mouth, long fangs lodged deep, and everyone but Riddick turned from her moans of pleasure. The day spent getting here, not feeding from the group she now hesitantly considered her own, had taken its toll. Used to hunting every night, Vanica was hungry.

Tori went thru the small guard room to the main control room door and held out her hand, sure she could create a fireball big enough to blast it open.

"Wait." She frowned, not wanting to.

"For what? We don't have a code to this door."

"We don't need one." He turned his head, listening, and so did she.

The excited inmates were getting steadily louder, more and more of them screaming, banging, waking others who's doses of liquid sleep were low, and the three men inside the bullet but not sound proof door exchanged worried looks.

They were on high alert, had been for a week, and the two Officers looked at the Warden for their course of action.

"Sir?" The general nodded, listening too late to the prickles of warning he'd gotten while watching the Bounty Hunter and his prisoners came in. The camera over the door was only showing static now but they'd seen the two Merc's and their shadowy captives before it went out.

"Get us some protection up here! Lot's of it." The Warden moved quickly to the cabinet marked riot gear and broke the glass with the attached hammer, ignoring the gut telling him to surrender. This was his jail and he'd die to keep it.

"Can't get thru passed the first sub-level or third floor but if they heard the alarm, they'd come on their own." Not wanting to cause himself future problems, when the big alarm came on, the big bunker was automatically notified, the Warden hesitated.

"How many units are coming?" The boy swallowed.

"Two moving now, one behind." The General shook his head. Not enough.

"Do it." A horribly loud braying siren wailed to life, making ll of the soldiers jump, and the Warden nodded as he strapped on his vest, lights over head changing to dark red. He went for weapons next and his two guards hurried to follow suit, both wishing they'd taken different posts. Couldn't spend the extra ud's if you were dead.

"Get your gear on and get outside this door. Nothing gets through. If they get this room, they've got the whole prison.

The two terrified soldiers stepped out into blackness with their fingers on their triggers. The lights were out, glass crunching under their feet as the alarm blared, and in the distance, there was an echo of heavy boot steps, of men coming to the rescue.

The two men cleared the steel door slowly, ready to fire at anything moving in the guard booth and beyond, but they were unprepared for the hidden hand that pushed them from behind onto hungry blades, the Furyan's then spinning, sliding inside the main control room just as the Warden was closing the door.

His sharp eyes saw the darkness, the jerky movements of his men and the shadows darting and he began firing, understanding he was already in more trouble than he could handle.

Riddick went right and the girl went left, both using desk as cover as the wall behind them exploded. Tori threw her knife to distract, hitting the monitor above his head as she ducked the gunfire and then the lights went out.

As his blade came down in the pitch black, Riddick caught it and threw it hard, planted it right between the stunned man's eyes. The Warden's gun fired again as he fell, hitting a control panel and as the sparks exploded, the braying siren ceased, leaving only the sounds of the battle outside the door.

Riddick and the Girl joined the fight eagerly, the two full platoons of outmatched soldiers now down to just a dozen scared men fighting demons in the dark. The Furyan's quickly had them surrounded, blades impaling, claws ripping out throats and eyes, arrows lunging into wrists about to shoot, and gunfire blew brains over the black walls. The soldiers were the enemy and were treated as such, receiving no mercy even when it was begged for. Such was the price of being on the wrong side.

The Girl grunted in the darkness and Riddick was there to steady her with one hand and jam his shiv into the stomach of the soldier she was fighting, with the other.

"You okay?" She nodded, winded, pissed, and a little aroused. The hall reeked of violent death and blood, and the Girl was glad of the darkness that hid most of it but she felt no guilt. It was a wasted emotion.

"Just a scratch." They all stilled, listening to the fresh wave of footsteps and the screaming of the wound up inmates. Riddick steered Tori toward the Defender.

"Watch her back while she gets the gates open. We'll handle this." The pair were gone a second later, leaving bloody footprints, and vanica placed herself at Riddick's side.

"You'll have Marco look at her later?" The Witch nodded, met his eye with a raised brow.

"Should I have him check you as well? See if you do indeed have a heat?" He said nothing and as they turned together to face the next wave of soldiers about to enter death's alley, he felt her need explode into the stinking air around them.

"So hungry!" She purred, stepping out to meet them.

"Ohhh Marines! You boys taste so good!"

"Aahhh!" Gunfire exploded behind them and when the girl stopped, wanting to go back, Lena shook her head.

"We have a job to do. We have to get the people inside before they suffocate from the storm. Those blankets won't keep it out for much longer.' Tori nodded, followed her.

"Your men will cut a hole in the fence once the lights go out, right? We're doing the towers first?" Lena nodded, eyes on the shadows they were moving thru. All the lights had been blown but she didn't know if it was because of the fight in the control room or maybe soldier being stupid.

"Yes. They've heard the alarms and they'll either surrender or fight." Tori pulled her knife, gun already in hand.

"We'll, let's get it done and find out when the plane's coming. This place smells like death and madness. The girl waved a hand at the big, steel door.

"You go right, I'm left."

Riddick and Vanica watched on the monitors as the two females stepped out into a raging dust storm and were glad to see most of the soldiers lining up to surrender after seeing the bloody fighters without cuffs and no guards on them. Riddick nodded.

"Can't fight if you can't see." The Witch wiped the blood from her hands and face.

"That Sammi is handy to have around." They watched for a moment as the two women disarmed and led each one inside to be cuffed to the very hand rails these same men used for prisoners. When they finished the last one, Riddick pulled the main power switch. Darkness was their advantage.

"So, what's next?" She asked, actually breaking into a Slam not yet something she'd done. He waved a hand at the consoles.

"We'll have to clear the floors in case we're here a while, waiting for the plane." She moved toward the door.

"I'll get some people up here and we'll take a tour." She stilled, listening.

"There's at least on here with pure Furyan blood, Riddick. I can feel him."

"From the original landing?" The Witch shrugged.

"Impossible to separate from the din." She looked back at him with curious, violet, rage edged eyes. "You hope to find family here? In a supermax prison?" There was no response and she raised a brow. "There were rumors at first, that one of our kind lasted a long time in captivity...but without going mad?" She shrugged again and he nodded. Captivity turned you into a heartless killer or drove you insane. There were no other side effect and it usually happened quick, within months.

They both tensed at a fresh set of footsteps echoing up the dark halls and relaxed when Kyle and Neil came into the room, the younger man's face pale from the bloody battlefield they'd just walked through.

"Everyone's inside, storm's getting bad." Neil didn't look at Riddick as he gave the rest of the message, reduced to errand boy with the teenager at his side. "She said lock us down." Riddick turned the power back on long enough to hit a button that echoed throughout the brick jail as everything from cells to gates locked, then shut it off again, moved toward the door with the Witch at his side. Both males moved quickly out of their way, unable to believe they'd been successful and Riddick nodded.

"Stand watch until someone better comes."

"Where are the others?" Devon shook his head at her demand.

"They refused to come." Her face was hurt but not surprised.

"Don't they realize they were they reason we came here? Without them, we could have made it on foot." He shrugged, normally expressionless voice annoyed at their lack of loyalty to one who'd clearly done so much for them and their kind.

"They still hope for the supplies. Hope you'll toss them out of the plane as we go. They wait out the storm under the blankets, plan to head to Nesoto come dawn." Her eyes narrowed.

"To the Badlands anyway?" He nodded.

"They say the caves are okay and the soldiers don't hunt them there."

"But, the radiation and the Wolv.." Devon cut her off.

"They say better a slow death than the suicide you have planned." Tori's face hardened, she nodded.

"So be it. Their lack of faith kills them, not me. Let's get these bodies out of light and sweep the floors for soldiers. We'll meet in the control room in half an hour." She looked at the closely listening men chained to the rails.

"And, get some real guards up here, the boys maybe. If they make an aggressive move, kill them."


	20. Chapter 20

20.) Convicts and Killers

They quickly discovered they could tell which prisoners were considered a real threat by their location. The men were second floor and up, each new set of halls filled with more guards, more security precautions, and less captives in the cells. The women occupied the ground and basement levels, and the further up or down they went, there were more locks, heavier chains, and yet, less and less soldiers waiting to challenge heir progress. There should have been thirty enemies a floor for a jail this size but most chose to hide rather than fight for a post they detested. Life at the Santa Quarry Detention center wasn't good, no matter which side of the bars you were on.

Riddick went straight to the top, passing husks of uniformed men that told him the Wizard was now inside and roaming, and he left a few of his following army on each floor to secure and clear out anyone in hiding. As a result, he was alone when he stepped into the dark hall on the highest level, noticing instantly that there were half as many cells, the isles much wider to keep from being grabbed by an inmate, and these men hadn't deserted their posts. Flash-sticks lit up his frame in the doorway suddenly but his goggles were already lowered, protecting him.

"Hands up!" The soldier's nervous, young voice made Riddick's lips twitch as he stared back at the dozen men bunched tightly at the opposite end of the long, dark hall.

"Night vision glasses, huh? Won't be enough, fella's. Surrender now, while you can." There were jumpy snorts of disbelief.

"Hands up or we'll open fire!" Under his cloak, Riddick thumbed the pin out of the grenade on his belt and in a flash, sent it rolling toward them and hit the floor as they opened fire. There was a bright, loud flash, and then the Furyan was moving below the smoke, slicing, stabbing, shooting.

The soldiers had little time to react as he stood upright in the middle of their badly formed circle, throwing vicious hits with his knife and hands. He ducked a huge rifle butt, kicked the man's gun into the air, slammed his blade into the soldiers thick neck, then dropped back under the light cover of the smoke, catching the soldiers weapon as he landed. He fired in a sweeping arc, hitting what he aimed at, and then he was on his feet again, grabbing the last ones as they turned to run, big arms snapping necks, crushing throats.

Riddick let the body fall, the last, and stilled at footsteps. He didn't move, waiting, and he recognized Sammi's limp as she entered the hall. Her eyes went over him, over the streaks of red now decorating the black walls.

"Think the bounty on you just went up?" He shrugged, wiped his knife on his pants before sliding it back where it belonged.

"Easy money." The blond Tavallo's snorted, sent her gaze over the cells.

"Funeral money." Riddick watched her as she slowly took in the whole room, red light pulsing in her eyes.

"Looking for someone?" She nodded, forcing her feet to verify what she already felt. He wasn't here, had never been here. He really was…

"My husband. He was still breathing when they drug him away."

There were only 5 men on the seventh floor, 3 of them watching with the dangerous eyes of insanity. They would not be released. The fourth had a leg that never stopped twitching despite him being unconscious, a sign of a lifelong drug user being dried out, and they passed him with only a brief glance. Furyan maybe, he would be no help to them, couldn't be trusted.

The fifth man looked to be in his mid thirties, well muscled body strapped and chained to a tall, black chair and Riddick turned to Sammi, seeing the look in her eyes as she stared at the convict before them, but he didn't ask. It wasn't their way.

"Find the closet the doctor's cowering in and wake this one up." She left, nodding to the girl as she came up the hall, stopping to stare into the cell Riddick was in front of.

The prisoner was wide shouldered and looked like a Furyan, putting off an air of menace that was present even while he was unconscious, and his long, kinked up, black dreadlocks only adding to the impression, as did the gray prison uniform and shaggy beard.

"Think he's what we need?" Riddick's granite voice was low.

"Sammi might know that for sure." He turned away. "Hired killers are dangerous to trust, little girl." She followed, said the first thing that came to mind.

"Maybe guilt and bonding will work on him too." Riddick growled, turning to sweep her into his arms, pinning her against the cold, brick wall. He leaned close, smelling sweat, blood, and her hot, female heat.

"Be careful what you wish for." Tori cocked her head.

"I keep hearing that."The challenge brought a desperate light to his eyes and behind the need, the longing to escape.

Riddick froze as the Girl leaned her head forward, rested it on his big chest, and when her arms went around his neck, pulled him into her embrace, he closed his eyes, hating the emotions now boiling inside. How long had it been since a woman had hugged him in tenderness? A decade? A lifetime?

Tori drew back and he let her go, glad his goggles hid the feelings her action had invoked.

"Thank you. For everything." He took a step back.

"Don't mention it. Ever."

"Attention in the jail." The PA system blared out, breaking the moment.

"All guards and employees will surrender to the control room and receive mercy. The offer expires in five minutes, starting right now. After that, we'll kill anything that moves." The Defender's female voice was calm and almost immediately, soldiers began to come out of the shadows they'd hidden in to avoid the patrolling Furyan's.

Outside, the dust storm bore down on them, tall, thick clouds slamming into the brick prison with the force of a truck, shaking the upper floors, and within seconds, the arid hurricane had engulfed the entire region, obscuring not only the Slam but also the yard, the empty towers, and the forest beyond, suffocating everything without real shelter.

"It's a good plan." Marco stated and most heads nodded in agreement.

"We need the gate code." Lena pointed out.

"The soldiers know it." Sammi said and the girl nodded. "Yes, but they think we're gonna kill them anyway. They won't even tell us their ranks, tore off their bars." Vanica grinned.

"They do think that, don't they?" She looked at the Defender Mother. "They're still in the hall?"

"Yes. Devon and the boys watch them."

"Have them brought up here so they can't try to warn the plane." The Witch ripped a wanted poster from the wall and moved toward the door. "This won't take long."

They knew her without the poster, their eyes filed with hate and fear, faces leery as they were lined up along the wall outside the control room, hands bound together in a long rope of bonds. Clearly her enemy, there was still a spark of want, of need, as the dozen men watched the Witch come toward them.

Vanica stepped close to the captives and the Defender boys moved away fast, their actions making the soldiers more jumpy. Even her own crew didn't trust her, didn't want to challenge her.

"I want information. Give it to me or die." There was no verbal response but the hardening of their eyes and raising of chins said blood would have to be spilt first. She nodded.

"So be it." Vanica stepped to the man she was sure was the officer by the way the others eyes kept going to him, pulling her blade.

"The gate code."

"Slam you, Witch!" The wide, unarmed man snarled and she smiled, sighing in regret as she mocked him.

"Maybe in another lifetime, Darling." She slashed his throat open in one smooth move, stepping back as he fell, blood pouring, pooling.

"Mmmm.." A bleeder." She dipped her finger into the puddle of red at her feet and sucked it clear with an expression of bliss. Spines went limp and ball shriveled as she extended her hand toward them, claws fully out and gleaming in the dim light from dropped flash-sticks.

"I'll do the next one by hand." She spun their way and they cowered back against the blood stained wall, watching her wolf's grin fill with death.

"Last chance, my pets. The code. Now!"

"Pure..."

"Purr..."

"Purple Mountains!" They were rushing to give her what she wanted and she nodded, slid her arm around the sweaty neck of the soldier closest, drawing him up against her taunt body.

"Come along, now. There's someone waiting to meet you." The Witch led him to the shadows where Sammi waited. "Or, maybe it's to eat you." She shoved him hard, using his moment of horrified surprise, and the blond's distorted form caught him, fell on him. Vanica turned away from the screams and crunching, ignoring the growl of her own stomach. She'd had her fill tonight. Another would only go straight to her hips.

"Wake him up." The white coated Dr. shook his dirty gray head, trying to back away from the cell Sammi had drug him to after finishing her meal.

"He's a killer." Tori waved a hand at the battlefield around them.

"So, are we. Do it now." The short, thin man watched her hand go to her knife when he didn't move and he turned back toward the captive, shaking his head.

"Safest post, my ass." He muttered, turned back. "No, I won't do it!" The Girl pulled her blade.

"We can wait for him to wake on his own. In exchange for the inconvenience…" She moved toward him and the Doctor stumbled over himself to get to the prisoner, hands working the dusty equipment. He unhooked needles and probes, turning off machines, and then filled a syringe with amber liquid, but he hesitated, not looking at the Furyan's in the cell and doorway around him.

"You understand these chains may not hold him? Cowan James is a serial killer." The Doctor got no response and in the silence, Vanica's crewmates heard her slight change of breathing at the name. Sammi wasn't the only one who knew him.

"We're waiting." Riddick granite growl got him moving and the dirty healer injected the prisoners thick arm and moved toward the door, only to stop short when the girl stepped in front of him.

"Unlock him too." All the color drained from the Doctors bitter face.

"He'll be awake any second. He'll kill me. He said so." She raised her knife, already sure it was a waste of time.

So, will I." She watched him square his shoulders and knew she was right. He wouldn't budge this time."

"Better by your hand, than his." The girl sighed tiredly, moving toward the convict.

"Get out." The Doctor had to squeeze between Vanica and Riddick, his loathing and fear clear to them, and Sammi led him back toward the hallway, asking questions but getting few answers.

"Want something done, do it yourself." The girl muttered, working the right ankle band open with her blade.

"Move!" She wasn't quite fast enough and the leg she'd just freed snaked around her throat, squeezing with the intent to kill. Twisting, the girl drove her knife deep into his thigh, ripping upward toward his groin, and the hold on her neck immediately loosened enough for her to spin out of it.

"You'd kill your rescuers?" She asked cooly and the convict shrugged, black eyes amused as he leaned back against the chair, ignoring the blood running down his leg to the dusty floor.

"One Warden's as bad as another." His voice was casual but those eyes reminded the girl of the dangerous survival instincts in the warrior behind her and she stepped cautiously closer, already wanting his strength on their side.

"What if we offer real freedom and the chance to right some of the wrongs done to our people?" Cowan started to tell her where to go but she looked back at him with the cool patience of someone much older and he frowned, swallowing the remark. The blood on her clothes, the obvious power of her companions, and the wound in his thigh said she should be taken seriously despite her youth.

"In exchange for what?" He demanded finally, eyes going over all of them and the girl turned to Riddick.

"I say we try one of the others." Riddick shrugged.

"Your call." She nodded at the frowning convict.

"You're free to come and go but keep your distance." She turned away. "We'll send that idiot back in too. Let him fix the leg before you strangle him with it." Tori's eyes were on Riddick's as she moved to the door.

"Wait." She stopped, but didn't turn. Not yet.

"You go home? To Furya?" Her voice was firm.

"As fast as we can."

"I'd go too." Riddick's eyes flashed success and she looked back at the convict with a mocking smirk.

"You'll be expected to follow my orders." His eyes went to the listening fighters behind her.

"You guys do what the kid says?" He challenged and the Witch moved to the girl's right, a pace behind in the personal guards position, and enjoyed the surprised that filled the man's rugged face.

"We can't possibly screw it up as bad as the males have." Vanica stated defiantly and a reluctant smile lit up the killer's eyes, showing a glimmer of the true man beneath.

"Fair enough." He looked at the girl. "I'm with you until we get to Furya. Unlock these bands and give me something to do." His dark eyes went to the Witch, voice thoughtful. "And, maybe someone to do it with?" Vanica felt a surprised smile stretch her lips from his suggestive tone and she shrugged as the girl moved to free him.

"Maybe we can work something out."

"Still a tease, I see." Sammi said from the doorway and Cowan's grin was huge.

"Damn glad to see you. How's Jacob?" The dirty blond didn't smile back but her nod and eyes were full of emotion.

"Alive, unlike his father. We were betrayed." Riddick and Cowan turned their heads at the same time, listening.

"Plane's early. Wasn't scheduled until tomorrow." Riddick nodded, looking at the girl.

"Ready to play a new game?" She nodded, grinning.

"You lead, I'll follow." He shook his head, lowered his goggles.

"Other way around, little Girl. Come on. We have a plane to catch."


	21. Chapter 21

21.) A Good Bluff & A Short Ride

"This is ..rgo..ane..pple 6! Co … ground!" The voice was full of bored nerves coming thru the static and the Oldest Son was careful to make sure he sounded the same, sure the plane would hear them better.

"This is ground. Maintain a clear distance. Provide the codes."

"Uhh. Stand by." Lena looked Riddick.

"Did we miss something?"

"You played it cool, by the book." Cowan said quietly from the doorway, drawing attention.

"Uncle James!" Sammi's young boy flew into the convicts arms and received a warm hug but Cowan's eyes were on the girl at Riddick's side.

"Too cool?" He shrugged, dressed in the dark warriors clothes that had been taken from him and his dark gaze remained on Tori.

"It is high alert, right?" The Oldest Son got the hint like the others in the room and keyed the mic, voice sharp.

"Identify yourself immediately or we will defend ourselves!"

"It's... damn foo.. Sta ..by." A few tense seconds of silence.

"Purp..le Mou...ins, ground."

"Copy, triple 6. Land at the designated spot and have your paperwork ready."

"Roger. Usele... Fuc … drills. Nobody'd .. a slam." The static filled radio went quiet and the group of Furyan's exchanged a successful look as the gates began to slide open. The Girl moved toward the door, her words making Riddick wince as Kyra's face slapped at him. This was the kind of adventure she would have loved.

"We ain't nobody."

The large, loud plane was crammed full of boxes and crates and the seven soldiers on the flight that had never encountered anything rough but weather, were doomed before the back door was fully open to admit the three camouflage dressed impostors. The determined crew used their knives so they wouldn't damage the plane or goods, and none of the men got off a shot, bodies falling to the dusty floor. Less than a minute after landing, the plane and all its cargo belonged to the Furyan's.

"Need a copilot?" Riddick shrugged and the quiet blond sat down, adjusting the seat with an ease that told him she'd at least been in this end of a plane before.

"We''re all here and accounted for." Riddick said nothing and Sammi looked at her son as he stood by her seat. His greeting to Cowan was the first real emotion other than hate he'd shown in months, and she was surprised when he made eye contact with the Youngest Defender boy, his natural born enemy, and the braided teenager held up two candy bars and a deck of Hobjong cards in response. Sammi was surprised to see her child's eager nod and when he looked to her, she only hesitated for a second before nodding too. The boys moved off to a quieter corner of the crowded plane and Sammi looked away from them to find the Defender Mother had also been watching, a thoughtful look on her usually expressionless face. Sammi raised a brow and Lena shrugged.

"Peace must begin somewhere." The blond nodded as the Defender left them alone, hoping they'd just watched the start of it for their races. She looked at Riddick, who was dealing with technology he wasn't familiar with but before she could speak, his granite voice distracted her.

"Why don't they have names? The kids?" She frowned.

"It's our way. When they become adults, they chose their title. It's a right of passage." Riddick's mind was quick.

"What's the age?"

"It's not set. The parents usually pick."

"And, for one who has no family?" Sammi's mind went immediately to Doug telling them of Tori's family being killed by Donre, of rescuing her, raising her.

"Doug and his wife would have chosen." He said nothing to that and she let it go, sure he was suspicious of everyone, not just the girl.

"We're headed to the Badlands, right?" He flipped a switch and then put it back in place when nothing happened.

"Eventually." He muttered, frowning, and she leaned over to push a small button in front of him. The planes engines whirled to life, the rear ramp closing automatically.

"You said you were caught at an airfield. You were leaving this hole?" She nodded again, smiling at bit.

"My husband was teaching us both to pilot. Said someone would have to fly us out when the time came." Her voice lowered. "He didn't put much faith in the prophesy either."

"Good instincts." Riddick stood up. "Switch places." Sammi didn't hesitate and two minutes later, she looked over at him, wondering what he was thinking as he watched her smooth movements with unreadable blue eyes.

"We're ready if you are." He lowered his goggles.

"Ask the Girl." The blond smiled uneasily.

"Aren't you taking this female in charge thing a bit too seriously?" He said nothing and she shrugged.

"I'm with her, same as the Witch and probably the Defenders but the rest of our kind? No way she'll keep leadership once you split."

"I'm still workin on that part." Fingers on the intercom switch, Sammi looked at him curiously.

"Why?" He shrugged.

"Why not?" She grinned, shook her head.

"Zen shit. Bull shit."She flipped the switch.

"Are we ready back there?" The Girl's voice was quick.

"Yes. He need anything?" Sammi watched the Furyan lean his seat back and put his hands under his head as if to sleep.

"No. Settle in for take off." Two minutes later, they were airborne and Alien Alley was fading from sight, short only one prisoner.

Daylight was nearing when Tori joined them in the cockpit, not a bit surprised to see Sammi at the controls. Until now, the blond was the only one of the main group who hadn't yet proved themselves to their crew-mates. All the others had shown it during battles.

"Where are we?" Sammi flipped a switch, plunging the plane into darkness.

"Close to the big bunker." "They'll see us and thinks it's the cargo ship returning." Sammi shrugged, hands light, familiar with the controls.

"We're very high, riding the tail of the dust storm. They might not even notice…"

"Unidentified..approaching..craft! We….sh… ou.. down!" The static was awful and the girl grinned

"Nice thought. Faster if you can." The blond pushed buttons, pulled on the stick, and there were shouts of surprise from the back when the big plane tilted upward, increasing speed.

"Come on...pl 6! Answer..." The call faded and Sammi looked at Riddick, sure he wasn't sleeping despite the relaxed appearance.

"They'll come after us." He shrugged.

"Don't know where, right? Snake wasn't with your group long." Tori's face iced over.

"He was already at Area 51 when we arrived. He'd never been to the caves and they're immense." She looked at the clouds outside the windshield.

"I want to make a stop." He said nothing and she let out a tired sigh, hip hurting.

"I get it. My choice. I just want to know if you'll be with us after?" He raised his goggles, standing up.

"I'm with you." His eyes flashed. "But, find someone else to be your second hand. I'm just the flyboy now, remember?" He stepped around her and she dropped into the warm seat with hurt in her eyes.

"You can't hold him." The girl's face tightened at the lowly spoken warning.

"He's still here, isn't he?" She stated coldly and sammi nodded handing her a map.

"Yes. Tell me where to go and I'll tell you why." The girl's first thought was clear and the two women looked at each other for a long moment before Tori pointed to an orange shaded area that meant high radiation zone. Sammi adjusted the controls and put the map away before turning back.

"He's the heir, the one that had to bring us together, but he has things ahead of him that even you can't predict. He knows it's coming and to give in to you is to give into destiny and face who he is, all that was stolen from him. He's been running his whole life and you can't hold him because the past already does and it's grip is relentless. My last knife says he won't even step off the ship when we get to Furya." Tori stared out the dusty window, frowning.

"Maybe I won't either.' Sammi snorted.

"And, give up the chance to maybe be the Queen of Furya during it's rebuilding? Just to follow a man who deep down, neither needs or want you? I doubt you're that stupid." The Girl was saved a sharp reply by a sudden quiet and rough jolt that rattled them in their seats. The right engine sputtered out and they stared at each other in horror.

"We did miss something. Fuel."

"Get Riddick back up here. I don't know how to crashland!" Tori moved quickly toward the cargo area, shaking her head as the other engine began to sputter.

"When I said stop, this is not what I had in mind."

The landscape below them was heartbreaking, horrible. City after broken city, recognizable only by blackened piles of debris fields, and hills of unidentifiable rubble, and as the plane glided on one weak engine, only a couple hundred feet off the ground now, there were no signs of life, normal or otherwise.

The terrain looked rocky under the dark brown layers of shifting sand that coated everything, and their passing vibrations made the unfriendly ground move restlessly, revealing graying bone and bits of wood.

"Get that landing gear up. We tip anything, it's all over." Riddick said from behind them, voice getting lower as the other engine cut out. Sammi was sweating as she fought to keep them level, and his tone settled her down as much as the words.

"Ease the nose up half an inch. It'll slide when it hits. Let it, but hold it straight as you can." She nodded, tensing as the sandy earth rose up to meet them, and then they were down, hitting, the bone jarring thuds drawing shouts from their passengers as huge clouds of sand flew up over them. They held on as the big bird started to skid, turning.

"Jerk up. Hard." She was already doing it, following her instincts, and it countered the slide, let them slow without flipping. Then they were stopping, metal groaning in protest, and the females remembered to breathe.

"Shut it down but leave it open. No prints in the dust." Sammi wiped at her forehead.

"They'll have a tracker beacon in here somewhere. Should we burn it?"

"It'll take 'em longer if we don't give them a clear trail of smoke to follow." They moved to the rear, going to Tori and Lena as they talked quietly in the far corner of the chaotic cargo hold, and both women turned. "Where are we?"

"Two hours hard march west of the Mountains." The girl's eyes flashed a tiny glimpse of success that was quickly hidden.

"We can leave the compasses and digital maps. That shit won't work out here. Too much radiation interference."

"How does she know so much?" Cowan demanded, looking around, and Vanica frowned at him.

"The prophesy?"He snorted, shaking dirty dreads.

"Yeah, right." He locked eyes with Tori a she pulled up her hood.

"Where'd you lie before the war?" The girl slid on a heavy pack, adjusted the straps before answering.

"The next town we'll see. Took us three weeks to get to the out of the destruction zone and half our group didn't make it." His face was dark as he considered what her words meant, but the other Furyan's didn't have the need to question. Their goal hadn't changed, they'd always known they were coming to a bad area, and really, now that they only had half a dozen burdens, they could make a trip like this. Because the girl had been able to hold Riddick long enough to gather them, make them a crew. Because of Tori, their kind now stood a chance at a new life and they had had no problems with her choices. Hadn't she proven she was willing to die for them?

"So, why are we here?" Cowan asked and the girl moved down the ramp and in to the sandy wind.

"I had to leave people behind, people we knew wouldn't make it. I gave my word I come back if I could." The convict's voice was thoughtless.

"You know they're dead, right? Nothing could survive out here that long." Everyone frowned at him and the girl shrugged as the Defender Mother fell in step just behind and to the right.

"You'd be surprised." Her tone was ominous.

"Hope we aren't." He muttered, drawing scowls at his continued protests.

"Awful lot of asses to cover if something goes wrong." Marco moved quickly passed him, shimmering.

"Just look out for your own ass. We really don't expect anything else." The Wizard was gone before the surprised male could respond and those who'd heard nodded in satisfaction. You were either in or out. There was no gray area.


	22. Chapter 22

22.) Double the Danger

The group of Furyan's moved steadily west, not covering their tracks and the gusting wind and shifting graveyard beneath their feet did it for them as they walked in a long line, following the girl.

There was little to see for the first few miles, only rising dunes and hardpan desert, and they stayed alert as the plane fell out of sight, aware that they were in a bad place. The sky was filled with a low, thick green haze, the air carrying sand and a chill, and the twin suns were dim balls that provided little warmth.

"Something's coming." The group stopped, listening for what the Defender had heard and the ground beneath their feet rumbled as if in response. It vibrated oddly, differently, like it came from a deeper place that the other tremors they'd felt on their journey, and as they waited, most of them watched Riddick and the girl. The ground went still suddenly and then just as quickly, started to shake, pounding toward them. Rock and stone ground together with the force of the plates underneath, shoving the earth upward, and it began to split in spots, huge cracks winding into the distance as the rumble grew louder.

"Hang on!" The Girl impaled the ground with a sharpened walking stick she'd pulled from her pocket, shoving it deep into the treacherous ground, and taking a firm hold on the staff, she motioned the others to do the same.

Those who'd made the trip out with her were already moving, casting nervous looks at the widening cracks as the ground under them went silent again. Riddick watched the girl, watched her nervous, adrenaline filled eyes, and knew it wasn't over. Then the ground was no longer solid under their feet, the earth ripped apart and gaping holes caught some of them off guard.

Riddick and Tori watched in disbelief as the only young child with them slid from his mother's starvation weakened arms and vanished into the hole.

"No!"

"Move!" Riddick was fast but Tori beat him, diving after the boy without thought of ropes or anchors. She disappeared and Riddick followed, knife drawn and goggles up.

The ground settled almost immediately, as if sated with the meal it had stolen, leaving great worry in its wake when there were no answers to their calls and no signs of the two Furyan's leading this wild quest.

"Pop! Pop!" Sudden, muffled gunfire had Lena and Devon moving, tying off ropes as they swung down into blackness, weapons out. And, the dark began to move around them, shapes of red in the night, with fangs that snapped onto air as the fighters dodged, fired.

"Where?" Lena demanded, keeping her rounds close and tight.

"Cover to your right, high and low. Watch your six!" Guided by Riddick's voice, they cleared the walls of anything that moved as they came down, fire now lighting up the cavern as those above dropped lit torches.

The floor below crawled with a huge nest made up of hundreds of abnormally long snakes, most of them albino white with extra eyes on their fat, pale backs. The Furyan's began picking off the mutated reptiles as they went for the girl, who was shooting them off the dark walls around Riddick, his big arm straining to keep his tight grip on her calf. The boy was wrapped around one of Riddick's legs, the ledge they were on crumbling more as he fired at the snakes leaping from the crawling nest about ten feet below.

Devon threw a rope around the girl's arm, aim perfect and she used it to swing herself away, Riddick letting go at the right second for a neat trade, and she blasted a clear path on the earthen wall she was headed toward.

Free of the weight, Riddick grabbed the rope Lena tossed, not hesitating despite her small size, and he jumped, legs wrapped tight around the screaming boy. They hit the dirt hard, Riddick's big body absorbing most of the impact and then the Furyan's were moving up the walls as a crew, firing, warning, clearing. More cover fire from above came as soon as they were in clear sight and Riddick tossed the boy up into his mothers waiting arms, then began dropping canisters from his cloak into the darkness, the greenish gas filling the void. The reptiles paid no attention at first, eager to get to the escaping meal but it effected them quickly, and the snakes began to fall from the walls and holes, killed almost instantly by the powerful poison.

Riddick and the girl stared at each other as the others fell silent and then he was moving toward her, blue eyes flashing.

"Come here." Tori went slowly, suddenly nervous. He looked pissed. She forgot to breath when his hand went up, flinching when his fingers ripped the ponytail holder from her head. He made the braid quickly, eyes on hers, then retied it.

"Don't ever do that!" It was an important moment for Tori, telling her he'd begun to accept their ways, accept who he was, but before she could do more than grin, Sammi was stepping over to them, eyes full of gratitude, and the moment was lost.

"I owe you my life. There isn't anything you can ask that I …"

"Save it." He growled, clearly uncomfortable and the blond nodded, hugging her child close.

"Just the same."

"Where'd you get that gas? It's great." Doug asked, thinking they could have used it on the way out but it was Cowan who answered, the dread wearing convict feeling under-appreciated, jealous, though he'd never admit that.

"It comes from the Company. The Elite Rangers use it to clear holes for mining on new planets. Only their men have access to it." Riddick turned away from the curious looks.

"I look like Company to you?" The Girl shrugged.

"Either way, it's handy." She pulled her staff from the broken ground, headed west.

"Come on. Let's get moving." She paused, looked over her shoulder. 'After the next dune, we're in a highly poison area that used to be very populated. Those people were forced out of their homes to avoid the draft trucks, and they hid in the bomb zones. As a result, they're not really people anymore. They're sick, contagious, and they move really fast, so we'll have to be quiet."

"Don't forget to tell them they're cannibals." Neil sneered, also feeling left out now that Riddick had once again proven himself and the big man frowned, shaking his head as the others muttered.

"Really shoulda read the fine print on this one." The Girl nodded, got them moving.

"Yes, you should have."

"Doesn't matter." Lena looked at the Girl, then to Riddick. "We have company. A lot of it." Her voice held a tiny note of uncertainty that worried him. If the Defender was nervous, they were in trouble.

"Soldiers?"

"No. Too unorganized." Tori didn't wait to hear any more. She began digging herself into the sandy grit, using her staff.

"The gunfire drew them. They don't see well. Dig in and let them run by."

"Are you insane?" Cowan demanded and Tori shrugged, waved a hand at their barren landscape.

"You got a better idea?" He hesitated and she looked at the non fighters with them, pulling debris and dirt up around her legs as she folder them under her.

"Get to that big rock over there and hide. They'll keep going. There just isn't room or all of us." Lena chose the girl's back and began to dig herself in as well, motioning all of her sons to go with the weaker group.

"Keep them still and quiet. Remember your training." There was a flurry of activity and the girl checked her weapons, hidden up to her chest. She looked at Riddick, eyes worried.

"If I die here, our deal stands." Riddick nodded curtly but made no move to hide. Her frown was huge as understanding came but she didn't tell him not to, they now had the blond to fly the plane, and his look was as knowing as hers was defiant. It said I can be just as hard as you when I have to. He nodded, impressed. She learned quick.

Adrenaline began flowing as the sounds of slobbering, hungry madness came to them and then the mass of reeking, human flesh came over the dune at a fast, curious stumble. Tens, then a hundred, then hundreds? It was impossible to estimate but the noise of the hairless zombies changed from grunts of concentration to small words and screams of glee as they spotted Riddick. Then the ravenous wall of death was flying toward him angrily.

"Oh, Shit." Vanica began to dig faster.

"Too many for this to work." Devon stated, also burrowing in and Lena nodded.

"Too late. We'll take out what we can."

"Where did so many come from?" Sammi asked, glad to feel her stomach growling instead of heaving. This kind of life was new to her. Tarak, her husband, had been the fighter.

"Furyan Zombies. Son of a.."

"Stay down, let them come." The Girl was cool, aware of the anger around her.

"Shoulda told us they were RageWalkers." Cowan muttered and she shrugged, taking aim.

"Shoulda asked."

Riddick's hands were busy taking things from his pockets, twisting them together, and then he darted away from the hiding fighters, away from the girl. Jumping great gaps, flying along, the huge mob of horror immediately changed direction to follow him, their screams growing louder, hungrier.

Riddick had to move hard, trying to gain some space to set the orb but the running dead were fast and after only a minute, he knew he wouldn't get a better edge than the one he already had. The zombies were quick and agile, easily leaping the gaps too, and silver gleamed as he thrust the staff into the ground, clicked it, and took off again, almost doing it in one continuous movement. The mob was only feet away as the blue orb shot into the air, drawing their attention, and giving Riddick enough time to clear the blast zone. Still moving, he hit the button and blew well over half the gibbering mass straight to hell, splattering the ground with red chunks and other awful debris.

The blast drew the stragglers and as the last of them flew by the hidden Furyan's, they threw off the dirt and began picking them off from the rear, closing ranks in a neat killing net designed to miss nothing. The cannibals didn't seem to understand they were under attack, not turning, and the girl flew through them, slicing, stabbing her way to where she'd lost sight of Riddick.

Lena and Vanica were on her heels, clearing the path on her sides and the rest of the fighters cut through the remaining zombies, making sure none of them made it to where their people were hiding.

Tori's sharp eyes zeroed in on the hammer about to fall, the slobbering zombie sneaking up the side of a boulder and knew who's neck it was aimed for. Never hesitating, she fired just once, from her hip.

"Duck!" The hammer fell, brains splattering from the neat shot and then the RageWalkers around Riddick were turning, heading her way. Their noises increased as they rushed toward her, true rage clear in their mad faces and they ignored Riddick and the female guards even when they began to take them down with arrows and bullets. Tori blasted her way straight through the first wave, dodging hands and knives meant to hold her, infect her.

She fell against Riddick as she spun away from a thrown blade and he steadied her with one hand, firing with the other. Tori joined him and the two Furyan's moved forward, Lena and Vanica giving them a clear line of fire. They picked off those hiding and running, leaving no wounded. None of these abominations would be allowed to live.

Riddick fired again, ignoring a hand held up for mercy.

"They knew you, wanted you." She shrugged, voice casual as she fired into eyes full of bleeding insanity.

"Not anymore."

"They were mad. How'd they recognize you." Her eyes were suddenly much older than he'd seen on her before.

"Because a good number of them are outcasts and survivors that we wouldn't let in." He looked at the huge battle field they were in the middle of.

"That many?"

"Most were already showing signs of the sickness when they came to us. We had no way to help them, only to catch it and die too." She turned west again.

"It's Jodan they really want. He makes the final choices." "They woulda settled for you." The Witch stated and the Girl nodded, voice even.

"They have every right to hate me. I recommended what I thought was best for our camp, for our survival, not theirs, and eventually, I'll pay for it with my life."


	23. Chapter 23

23.) Dark Passages

Which way do we go?" The young blond Lieutenant asked his older, darker superior, both of them staring in frustration at the bleak, dusty land around the abandoned plane.

"Your suggestion would be?" The newly promoted kid frowned, understanding if his idea was accepted and failed, he would be held responsible. He sent his pretty eyes over the sand-covered ship and turned back to the wise man watching him.

"I say we join Donre at the caves. He'll be glad of the backup if he's right and we'll get credit for assisting. If he's wrong, we'll arrest him like base said to and take full credit." The Major considered, liking the boys instincts. It was only a tiny part of the reasons for this new assignment, though.

"And, if they wipe out another Bunker of our men while we're waiting with Donre?" The Lt.'s tone was cold.

"Such is the price of war." His boss grinned.

"And, that's another reason you're with me." The Major's eyes narrowed. "You predict we'll get the assist of arrest?"The Boy shrugged, hating the feel of the treacherous ground beneath his boots.

"Probably the assist. Donre's one of them. He's the hound on the convict's trail." His voice lowered. "Base said Cowan James is missing from Santa Quarry."

"The mass murderer?" The Lt. Nodded, eyes nervously scanning the dry, bare landscape even though they were surrounded by a dozen well armed soldiers.

"He did 20 officers in a month and too many enlisted to count. They say he keeps score, that it's a game to him." The Major smiled coldly, unsnapping his holster.

"We'll teach him a new game. What's the bounty?" The boy grinned unable to keep himself from lighting up, responding to the macho energy. This promotion had a lot of perks.

"A two level jump in rank, a move into the secured wing, and a months paid vacation." The Major nodded, mind busy roaming many of the same halls as the boy's.

"We'll spend a week or two of it in the Hob, playing cards. Get the men inside Anthony. We'll take a quick look from above before we head to the caves. Tell them to shoot anything that moves. We'll see who it was after they're dead."

"That's the one we want." The Girl pointed to a dark hole in the canyon wall at ground level, about half a mile ahead of them, the huge Mountains rising up from the sandy floor like Jack's beanstalk, backdropped by a hazy green sky where the double suns were nearing dusk.

"Wasn't your stop around here?" Sammi asked from her place as the girl's guard and Tori nodded, voice emotionless.

"Yes." Sammi waited and when the girl said nothing, she frowned.

"You're not now?"

"No. When we left, there were still normal people all over out here. For the RageWalkers to have gotten that big, they have to be taking over entire groups of people. If mine had time to get out, they'll be in these caves, with Jodan." The Defender motioned her two oldest sons toward the girl.

"Guard." They moved quickly, one to the left, one to the right, and Lena directed her other boys to the small group now carrying the bulk of their supplies, Doug, Neil, Kyle, and Seth, their newest member rescued from Jinks. The redhead had been happy enough to get the invitation to remain with them but he hadn't said much and no one was sure of him yet.

"Stay with them." Lena moved up beside the Witch, eyes sliding to the big Killer that had been at her side almost constantly since leaving his cell.

"Expecting problems?" Cowan asked, long, dirty kinks in his face, and the Mother shrugged, thinking she'd love to catch him sleeping and shave him bald.

"It's usually best to." Vanica nodded.

"I tried to look as we came up the last dune but there's only darkness. I think we walk a fine line after we leave the light." The Defender nodded, moving onto the next stop, and the tall, dark eyed convict moved closer to the Witch, matching her stride.

"How is it you're with them? I thought your kind and hers couldn't stand the sight of each other." Vanica didn't answer, whole attitude cold, and he frowned.

"What's your problem?" He demanded and those around listened.

"You haven't spoken a work to me since we ditched the plane. What's up?" Her violet eyes flashed a warning.

"What's up, is that I've decided I don't like you very much." She increased her pace, moving toward the girl and Cowan stopped in hurt surprise. Didn't like him? He caught up fast.

"Why? Cause I hunt the solders that kill our people?"

"That's usually a turn-on." She left him hanging and he snorted in frustration.

"Cause I'm a bastard and a criminal with no future?" She sighed in disappointment.

"Again, things I like." She looked at his confused, annoyed face, decided she'd toyed with him enough.

"I don't like you because you don't come to this quest willingly. You think of only you're own gain, never our need. You're here and we'll take what we can get, but when it comes down to it, you're not really one of us." There were subtle nods from those who'd heard and when she move away, Cowan let her go, let himself fall back as he stared after her. She was a wanted criminal too, had numerous kills to her credit and he watched bitterly as she edged between a tall, dangerous looking older man and their fearless, child leader, her company accepted even though she was their sworn enemy, and he dropped back into the rear guard, making his way to where Riddick was. Alone, as usual.

"I've heard of you, ya know? Bounty's across the universe for everything from murder to conspiracy. Words out everywhere that you're a dangerous dude. What are you doin on this shithole?" Riddick turned it around on him.

"Why are you here?" Cowan's eyes softened the smallest bit.

"My sister fled when the WorldEnders came. Rumors said she was brought here by slavers." Riddick's eyes were knowing.

"Didn't find her but stayed to play the game, right?" Cowan nodded.

"Last one's always a trap. Shoulda known." Riddick gave his preferred answer. Silence.

"They didn't find my ship. Little Undercutter but it gets the job done. We could just vanish." Again, silence, and the killer's voice rose a bit.

"Did you hear me? I've got…"

"Shit that I want." Riddick finished harshly, stopping to face him. "You just found out what side these people are really on and because you wanna ghost, you think I'm the same." Riddick leaned closer, tone mocking.

"Maybe you should just vanish before she finds out. She's already killed one traitor." Cowan's anger had him stepping forward even though he knew it was a big mistake, a Furyan's pride huge, but both men stopped before anything could happen, turned suddenly.

"You hear that?" Riddick nodded.

"Engines." The big plane came over the far rise of dunes and the refugee's fled towards the cave entrance, lending arms to those who needed it and they moved fast, knowing it would be close.

The plane flew at them, gun holes opening and the refugee's hurried, the last of them darting into the cool darkness as the plane fired.

A huge chunk of the granite mountain exploded, gravel and big rocks raining down, almost blocking the cave's dark entrance.

"They'll follow us."

"Let them." The Girl said it calmly, leading them into a small alcove that had three narrow tunnels branching off of it to wind in different directions. She looked around.

"Once we hit the bottom, it's wet. They won't know which way to go." Vanica smiled.

"Soldiers wandering around in the dark. Nice picture."

"Here's a better one. Bodies and a head start. Maybe even another plane ride." The Witch's grin widened at Marco's words.

"Good. All this walking is hell on my boots."

"Do we follow?" The Major considered, wanting to open fire again but knowing if they couldn't go in and collect the bodies, there wouldn't be any bounty. He nodded.

"You do. I'm going above the haze to call for backup. You find out if that's a dead end or if we're gonna be chasin our asses in the darkness." The Lt. Nodded nervously, moving to get more ammunition.

"And Bobby, take all the men. I want you here when I come back down." The Officer's tone as just a bit softer than it should have been, the boys eyes much more willing than thy should have been, and then he was barking out orders and the smirking soldiers around them turned their heads to keep from being seen.

"Here they come" Vanica whispered, seven of them waiting not very far into the cave's dark shadows, and everyone stilled at the crunch of heavy boot steps.

"Surrender yourselves now! Don't force me to come in there!" There was a leery note to the young leaders voice that said he wasn't coming in without a good reason and the Witch moved toward the light, knowing how to draw them.

"No! Help!" She changed to a softer, sexier voice. "Stop! Help!" She shrieked the last word and the reaction from the soldiers was instant.

"That's one of ours!"

"She's human!"

"Come on!" The platoon ran inside the darkness, ignoring the man behind them who muttered, suspicious as he too followed them into the cave, and hidden fighters remained still, waiting for the right moment to spring the trap.

The well armed men had their night vision glasses on but the Furyan's were part of the landscape and went unnoticed. At first.

The Lt. stopped as the light got further and further away, the blond hair on the back of his neck stiffening. They weren't alone, he realized suddenly, though it looked that way. Never had been.

"It's an ambu.."

"That wall moved!"

"Look out!"

"Open fire!"

The battle was quick and violent, moving with the rhythm only a perfectly matched crew can achieve. They had the soldiers surrounded in the darkness that they were all able to see thru and they began to pick the enemy off, staying under wild gunfire. Men fell from the loud crossfire, soldiers panicking as weapons were knocked out of sweaty grips and knives flashed brutally.

Vanica ducked an arm meant to grab her throat, kicking hard to the right. A man grunted at the knife in her boots as it punched into his gut and then she was spinning, drawing her blade across his throat, blood spraying them both. She spun again as another soldier rushed her, driving her shiv deep into his stomach. Hands closed around her neck and before she could react, the pressure was gone, the soldiers neck broken, limp body hurled to the ground.

Cowan turned from her curious look to meet the next man and they fought side by side, cutting through the shrinking number of soldiers as an accurate, deadly team.

Riddick and the girl were also working together. Back to back, they ducked swings at the same time, then dipped to kick soldiers feet out from an under then, blades flashing down into hearts, their movements identical. It was a beautiful, awful harmony that continued until they met their own in the middle, the enemy without survivors.

"Let's see." Vanica looked around, grinning and bloody. "Three.. four.. five more." She looked at Cowan. "You get the points for the Lt." He smiled sexily.

"Been a while." She grinned back and the Defender stepped between them as the girl rolled her eyes.

"The plane, remember. We're not done here."

"I don't think we should." It was the first time any of them had heard Riddick included himself and it drew instant attention.

"Up there, they can track. Down here, we're on her time." He looked at the girl, who had already begun moving toward the deepest shadows of the cave.

"These tunnels will bring us out a few hours from the base where the freighter is. Three days to get there. Two if we don't sleep."

"And, they won't know which way we've gone." Doug added and there was a considering silence but really no question of what they would do. After a moment, Lena, Devon, Vanica, and Riddick began stepping passed the more reluctant, following the teenager and then they were all back in line, willing to take their chances with her.

"We'll catch up." The Witch stated, her and Cowan moving toward the entrance, where they could all hear a plane landing. "There's still points on this level and we want them." Lena shook her head, lips tightening but she said nothing.

"Stay to the left. When you hit bottom, stay right." Tori called over her shoulder, searching for those glowing blue eyes in the darkness. Finding them in the guard place just behind her, she moved into the pitch black without fear. This was home.

"You can have this one." Vanica nodded, watching the huge plane come to a rest, blowing up thick clouds of sand.

"What's the requirement for a double score?" Cowan grinned, words telling her he'd known all along who she was.

"You know very well it's a double death blow, Enchantress." She smiled, waving a hand.

"I may have perfected a method. Assassin." Her dark curls became blond streaked with red, her black cloak opening to reveal low cut jeans and a ripped up white top that exposed a generous amount of breast. Before his mouth could repeat the compliment his dark eyes had just given her, Vanica limped out of the cave.

"Help! Please, help!" She stumbled as she neared him and the tense Major yanked her back up.

"Please!" She sobbed, pressing close. "They took me!" The Major frowned at the blood on her, looking at the dark, silent cave she'd come from. He held her back, gave her a rough shake.

"Where are my men? Where's Bobby?" Vanica understood then that none of her female charms would work on this man and she nodded at the cave.

"In there. Dead, I think. I got loose while they were fighting." He let go of her arm and turned toward the darkness, clearly not thinking she might be a threat, and, the Witch attacked, drawing her knife and driving it into his chest as she lunged for his throat, sharp teeth ripping out a chunk of flesh. She caught him as he fell and allowed herself a few sweet seconds of bloody bliss, face buried against his neck. Her eyes were glittering, face bloodstained and she wiped her arm across her mouth, hefted the body over her shoulder. She took him to the steps of the plane, arraigned him as if he were sleeping on duty and went back to the shadows where Cowan watched with need-filled eyes.

"Hell of a surprise for someone." She nodded, aware of how his eyes lingered on her as she stepped passed.

"Surprise, warning, threat. It has many purposes."


	24. Chapter 24

24.) Secrets in the Dark, Brought to Light

The dark, chilly cave had a high ceiling and wide tunnels that allowed two of them to walk side by side while their sensitive eyes constantly scanned for information, the girl and the rear guard, Riddick, holding dim, yellow light sticks that made the trip a bit easier on the weaker of the group. The floor was uneven, dusty, and mostly debris covered. Odds and ends glared up at them in defiance. A dented tin cup, a chewed on child's doll, bullet casings, and everywhere their light touched, names and messages screamed out at them in haunting reminders of those the war had hurt the most.

'Gone to Gevani. Praying you and the girls are already there. Wasted ten of them at school but didn't find him. Will never stop looking!'

'Can't stay. Soldiers coming. Going to Crawsford. You know where-love, Aminai'

'The sickness has come, hundreds of us die in these dark caves. It's spreads among the weak. Touch nothing!'

'Lost -Two in-laws and a good hat, brown with white feathers. Want the hat back, in-laws are optional. Meet in the Vatican.'

'Buried dark eyed boy of about 9. Wolves. See map to grave on opposite wall'

'Betrayed! My wife, my daughter, my newbon son, killed by Donre! Help me end his life! Looking for fighters. To join, flash a red paper at Roma's highest church window.'

'Missing! 3 year old twins. Blond hair, green eyes, taken from a hospital in St. Loust the day after the war. GIVE ME BACK MY BABIES!!!!!!!!

They were endless, mostly heartbreaking, and though many of the notes and messages carried a tone of hope, the Furyan's wondered how many of their bodies they'd find in these dark passages.

The air seemed thicker as they wound down into the earth, less dust covering the rocky floor, and they saw the bones then, realized they'd been walking on them all along, hidden by the sand. The walls down on the second level were almost bare of messages but they held dried and still tacky sprays of deep, dark red and Vanica moved closer to the Girl and the Defender that had just taken over the guards place at Riddick's nod.

"Smell it here. Soldiers didn't do this." Lena frowned in recognition, revulsion.

"Wolves." The Girl's tone was light, not worried or surprised.

"We'd heard they were using them to flush out the refugees."

"Then, why come?" Cowan asked, watching Tori stop, get set.

"Because they don't move well in confined spaces and they can't climb." She jumped straight up, getting good height, and those closest watched in admiration as she grabbed a dusty rope that was anchored thru a hole in the rocky ceiling above them, bringing it bak down with her. She was climbing up it before the thick rope had finished uncoiling and the two females quickly followed her.

"Have the last one bring the rope each time. We'll need it later."

The gray stone walls of this ground level tunnel were covered thickly in writing, even more than the first, surviving the wolves something that had to be described, but most of the group didn't try to read them, concentrating instead on the steady upward slope of the uneven ground they were walking on, and the slender shadow of the girl leading them thru this dark hell.

There was no sense of time, no feeling of ten minutes or a hundred, and they didn't talk about the bodies in the next tunnel or the crunch of death under their feet. Surviving the wolves hadn't been enough to stop people who'd been infected from going crazy and hurting others. A lot of others.

Sounds came to them as they moved deeper, and the heavy rumbles of falling rocks was one that stole breath, groaning miles of mountain overhead more than a bit unsettling, distracting, and only Riddick and the Girl heard the new sound at first, both ignoring it, moving a bit faster. It was the faint echo of impatiently padding feet and the metallic clicking of nails on an uneven stone floor.

A while later,(none of them knew for sure how long but guessed it had been about six hours) the girl stopped, chewing on an energy bar and the others followed her lead, hating the echoes they made. She confirmed that Riddick's glowing eyes were still with them, looked around.

"There's a ..rest area near here. We can sleep or keep going. Takes off a full day. Beds are stone slabs, natural spring but the waters no good."

"Can you keep these tunnels straight?" Lena asked, eyes also checking to make sure everyone, including their unofficial Heir, were accounted for. "You haven't slept in a while now." The girl shrugged, sliding off her pack, taking her gloves out as she sat down.

"I'm fine. When we get close to the other side, we'll break and rest up. Probably Donre's who'll be waiting." She saw the gleam in Vanica's eyes, knew the Witch was now with her at least that far. She nodded at Doug.

"He know the way too." Doug shook his head, arm around his tired wife's thin shoulders.

"Not after the first drop. I wouldn't come this way again." The big redhead waved at the wall near the archway, suddenly glad he hadn't been in charge all this time. They might not kill him when they found out there was no ship.

"It's marked with tattles and she knows the code well." Tori took a long drink of water, letting them choose, and she listened with a thumping heart. It wouldn't hurt them to rest now, but it would torture her to stop when they were so close.

"Sleep in here? On cold slabs? No way." Cowan stated, making Lena roll her eyes even though she secretly agreed with him.

"It will let the soldiers get close."

"The weaker ones are tired." Vanica pointed out, a bit surprised to hear herself say so and Lena shrugged, not yet winded.

"They can be carried."

"Listen." Riddick's single word drew instant silence.

The group went still as the sounds of padding feet, searching noises, and restless claws came to them again thru the maze of tunnels, clearer, closer.

"Right under us?" Lena asked very softly and the girl shrugged, shouldering her pack as she stood.

"Hard to tell. It echoes wrong in here." She turned toward the tunnels. "Come on. Stop wasting all this beautiful daylight." There were tired snickers at that and they followed her quietly, the arrival of the wolves making the choice for them.

Riddick turned, feeling like he was being watched and saw a pair of bright green eyes glowing at him thru a narrow fissure in the stone wall. They evaluated him from head to foot before disappearing all at once. Riddick turned, caught up with the group, frowning.

"Problem?" Devon had noticed his pause and come back to guard if needed.

"Maybe. Something's in the walls. Green eyes." The Father nodded, not quite smiling.

"I wasn't sure I really saw it. A rodent?" Riddick's voice was doubtful.

"We can always hope."

"But, you don't think it's anything so easy?"

"No reason to. This place reeks of death." The Defender nodded and he immediately made his way to his mate, telling her of what had been said as well as seen. Between the two of them, there were no secrets.

"You're kidding, right?" Vanica was horrified when the girl only continued to tie the ropes together with strong, thick knots.

"She is serious. Are you crazy?"

"It's what the doctors call a leap of faith. This one's easy." She began putting putting handle knots every few feet, grunting as she pulled it tight, the others gathered around her and the wide dark hole she was kneeling by.

"How far down?"

"Just two levels this time. Next one takes us all the way to the bottom." She tied the rope onto an outcropping of rock and then threaded it thru another gap in the cold, hard stone.

"We won't have enough rope for that distance, barely this one." Lena pointed out and Tori nodded, wrapping the thick coil around her waist.

"We'll land in water." She met Riddick's eye for a brief second, her gaze unreadable, then she vanished into the dark hole, the rope pulled tight.

"Damn it!" Riddick was wrapping the end of his cloak around his hand as he moved and he grabbed the rope with it, slid into the emptiness behind the girl.

They hit the reeking bottom together and she was surprised when he grabbed her arm, spun her around.

"I go first and check it out." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"You don't know the way." His hand let go of her but his eyes didn't. "Together." Surprised, she smiled.

"Deal." She turned, stepping over the tail of a very large wolf carcass rotting in the new tunnel. "We'll need to move faster now. That smell is what's bringing them, not us. We don't want to be around when they find their pup dead."

"That's a pup? What do the parents look like?" Cowan's voice was full of disapproval, unable to stop seeing the half human, half animal form in his mind as he and the others came quickly down the rope.

"What do they mate to get that?" The girl shrugged.

"I heard there was a third DNA strand introduced to these in the Badlands in hopes they'd be invincible. A lion or something. Either way, they enhanced them with the radiation, made them bloodthirsty. Not a good pet to give for the holidays. Come on. We''re closer now."

The air seemed to cool as they moved, smelled fresher, and the sounds of running water came to them. It got louder as they walked and when it sounded as if they should be able to feel the cold spray, the girl slowed, checked markings on the wall. After a minute, she knelt down beside a narrow hole up against the cave's hard wall.

"This is it. We'll hit deep water. Sink with the current. You'll see a light to follow."

"How far are we dropping?" Marco asked, preparing himself, like the others were doing.

"At least 40 feet. Maybe more like 60. If you can't swim, now's the time to say so."

"Vanica doesn't." They all turned in surprise and the Witch seemed to bristle at the attention, reminding many of them of a cat.

"Don't care for water. So what?" She muttered, tying her cloak to her belt.

"I'll give her a hand." Cowan offered and Marco frowned when she didn't refuse. So, that's how it was. The Wizard nodded, turned toward two of the weaker woman of their group.

"All right, ladies. Which one of you wants to ride me like your favorite horse?" Vanica started to turn toward him, anger on her face, and Cowan wrapped strong arms around her slender waist, jerked her up against his chest.

"We'll go first. As soon as we clear the hole, take a deep breath and hold it, okay?" The Witch nodded nervously, leaning her silky head against his big shoulder. The fit of her against him perfect and Cowan shook his head, trying to remember to breath.

"A man sure could get used to havin you in his arms." Before she could respond, he lifted her tightly against his chest and stepped out into empty space, disappearing. The Defender Son's went next, then Sammi, with her boy on her back, then Devon, after exchanging a look with his wife that said 'I'll look after ours, you take care of them.'

It made a lot of noise, the splashing and shouts and calls of encouragement, and there were still ten people waiting to jump when they heard the padded feet running toward them in the dark. The girl shoved Peggy, Doug's wife, toward the hole.

"Go!" She hissed, drawing her blade as she turned. The sound of heavy breathing, of snorting and claws scratching on hard stone got louder and when Riddick moved to the rear of the line to meet them, the Girl was at his side.

Two more bodies hit the cold water and then bright red eyes glared at them from the end of the long, dark tunnel. There was another heavy splash, people now crowding to get in the hole, no longer reluctant to go as the heavy breaths and nails against stone grew closer, hungrier and Lena waited with the others but kept her eyes on Riddick and the girl, almost sure he would waste no time getting the headstrong teenager out of harms way.

Sighting their prey, the wolves began to howl, but their eyes were evaluating and Riddick did the same. They were the wolves of their earlier encounter and yet bigger, sharper eyed, and not quite right somehow. Maybe it was the huge ears with small tuffs of hair that stuck out like spikes, or the 6 inch claws he could see sticking out of paws in over a dozen places, or the two footlong fangs hanging like tusks from the sides of its slobbering jaws, but either way, they would be deadly opponents. To fight these, he'd need time to figure out the weakness and as if they sensed his thoughts, the two lead predators charged.

"Don't hit the little one. They'll chase you forever if you kill a pup." Tori told him, throwing her blade to catch the lead animal between the eyes. Riddick's spare knife followed, stopping the second huge wolf in his tracks as it sank in up to the hilt, and then the pack was on the and the girl was spraying flames as the others jumped over their fallen mates.

Lena disappeared thru the hole only when Riddick lifted the girl, unmindful of the huge flames shooting from her palms or the hungry paws swiping at them. A second later, they were free falling, her fire illuminating the underground stream rushing up to meet them as furious howls of frustration split the dark. They hit the icy water hard, plunging downward with the current and then they were following a dim glow of light, hoping none of the snarling horrors behind them wanted a meal enough to follow.

Riddick and the Girl broke the surface of the water like a nautical King and Queen rising from the sea, magnificent in their sheer impressions of strength and invincibility, and then those waiting were calling warning that were too late as a dark shadow emerged behind them.

Riddick shoved the girl aside just as the wolf's claws caught him across the shoulder, knocking him under the waist high water as the Furyan's on the bank tried to distract the predator by firing in the water near them and yelling, afraid of hitting their own with gunfire.

Not fooled, the big wolf lunged for Riddick as he struggled to his feet in the strong current but before its powerful jaws could close over his arm, another shadow broke the surface between them, going immediately for the bigger animals unprotected throat.

The big wolf howled as its smaller pack-mate drew blood with it's short tusks, and then it was slung aside as the big wolf slapped it violently, blood flying as long claws ripped into flesh. The smaller animal yelped painfully and it landed in the shallows near the bank but before the others could fire at it, finish it off, the youngest Defender Son was running into the waves, throwing himself across the whining pups bloody body, crying.

"No! He's mine!" Surprised, the adults hesitated and a loud splash drew their eyes back to where Riddick and the big wolf had been. They were both gone, the water there churning harshly, and the Girl dove into the middle of it as others also went under, searching.

Riddick and the Wolf spun in the cloudy water, the huge animal's nails digging into his shoulders as it tried to pull him closer, and Riddick's big hands tangled in the thick fur of it's face, trying to make it meet his eyes. They twisted in the waves, both straining, needing air, and then their eyes met, locked, spoke.

Even with all his senses on the wolf, Riddick knew the girl was close, coming to help him, and he tilted his head, sending new thoughts, something he'd never done before. Influencing behavior change was something he usually avoided since it was what the doctors kept trying to do to him but this time, he sent images of a new enemy to fight and where they could be found.

The wolf wasn't used to being dominated this way, weakness long since forgotten but Riddick's eyeshine mirrored only its own image and the new thoughts were allowed to sink in, take root.

A few seconds later, the animal jerked backward as if burned, clouds of bubbles floating from its snout and then it was turning, vanishing into the waves as Riddick let the current carry him to the surface. The Girl was on his heels, mind racing, calculating with what she'd just seen. What would a child of his be able to do?

The silence was thick as they moved toward the bank to join the others who were waiting tensely. They'd come out in an alcove with just a single, huge room but the walls held numerous tunnels and openings, most dark and empty, set high in the stone, with no visible signs of a way in.

"If we stay here, how do we defend against so many sources?" Devon asked his wife and Tori shook her head, watching Riddick look around uneasily.

"Most are dead ends."

"How do we tell the difference?" Cowan asked.

"It doesn't feel right here." Vanica stated suddenly, eyes glassy and the Wizard nodded, automatically moving to her side in case they needed to work together.

"I agree. There is much deception in the air." Riddick's sharp eyes noticed all of those who'd been with the girl at the hanger were subtly splitting off from the rest, moving away from the girl too, leaving her to stand alone. His eyes narrowed and the familiar, sickening feeling of being played with began to seep into his gut at her quiet words.

"I did what I had to for my people." Her admission made the air thicken with tension, the guilt clear in her tone. What had she done?

"We needed someone to stand for us, someone to teach us." Riddick's granite voice was full of contempt, realizing his feeling of a trap back in the beginning had been right.

"So, no more back of the bus for me?" She shrugged, eyes cool and hot at the same time.

"You are the Heir. Not me." His eyes narrowed at her warning tone.

"And, just who are you?" She shrugged, not about to apologize.

"An escort. Your meeting someone here." Everyone was frowning at her now, most confused by the conversation but aware she'd done something wrong and it didn't take long for Riddick to get the truth.

"Soldiers?"

"I'd never!" The Girl's quick denial made them all feel a bit better.

"Then what's the deal?" He snarled, waving a hand at her retreating, cowering comrades from the hangar. " Why do they look like I'm might start ghostin people?" The Girl's face was expressionless.

"Because all of your services were bought on a lie. There's no ship near here. In fact, there's no ship at all." There was a stunned silence that the Witch broke.

"This is an illusion. There are others here." Vanica told him, looking at Riddick with dead, black eyes full of fury. "She's betrayed us."

"You're in no danger." The Girl insisted and Lena moved closer to her.

"Just what kind of a game are you playing?" Tori never looked away from Riddick.

"One that might get me killed." Riddick watched her eyes, seeing her calculating Elemental side warring with her conscience and the air around them grew warmer, thicker.

"It was all a set up to get me here? From the beginning?" She nodded and her face paled as he stalked toward her. The Defenders moved back and when Riddick drew his shiv, eyes flashing his rage, she closed her own, held still. He was here now. Better by his hand than the others.

Riddick's blade stopped against her neck.

"Give me a reason!" He growled, furious and even angrier that he was hurt too, and Tori opened her eyes.

"I've given you what you came to Tanaka Major for. Family. Turn around and meet your brother."


	25. Chapter 25

25.) Revelations and Explanations

"How do we defend against so many openings?" Devon asked as Lena waved their boys to their defensive positions, and the girl answered without looking away from Riddick, willing him to understand, to forgive, but most of all, to stay with them.

"The Witch has almost got it now. It's the last of the old magic from the ship." Vanica's violet eyes were almost black with concentration, lips muttering and she grunted in satisfaction as she broke the spell, waving her hands. Almost immediately, the stone tunnels around them began to shimmer, the very walls disappearing, changing into a small, dimly lit camp area up against a damp, rocky wall with only a fire on the left and two narrow tunnels on the right.

The Defenders drew their knives, Cowan and Seth their guns, and they stayed in a protective circle just behind Riddick, waiting for him to chose their course. The Witch and Wizard stayed near the tense couple, both ready to draw on their magic if it was needed.

The wide area had shrunk by half but the number of people had almost doubled and Riddick let go of the girl, spinning to face the dozen large, well armed men wearing long brown cloaks that were surrounding them and he automatically made sure there was a clear path to the water, marking his escape as the two groups looked at each other in silence, evaluating.

No one moved, no one spoke, and Riddick's lips thinned. Before he could demand answers, a tall, wide shouldered man wearing a long, dark blue cloak came thru the group of warriors and everyone, including Riddick was startled by the resemblance.

"A brother." His shocked words made the man nod, smile wryly as he stopped a few feet away.

"Little doubt, is there?" His voice was softer, pale blue eyes and blond hair making him seem weaker, and he gave off nothing in the way of menace that Riddick did. Clearly, he'd led a different life, Riddick thought, looking for more of a connection and finding none. Was that normal?

"I'm Jodan and I'm sorry for the pretense. They've killed most of us off over the years in attempts to get here. We had to be careful."

"You had to be sure I wasn't a liar and a sneak." Riddick stated and though the man flushed, hearing the accusation, he returned the sarcasm.

"We do what we must to survive. You understand that, I'm sure."

"That include turning little girls into whores?" The man's face went scarlet, as did the Girl's and the men with them scowled guiltily, making Riddick frown. Brother? Where was the fire? The spark? The strength?

"We've all made... sacrifices." Reading between the lines, Riddick's furious eyes went to the Girl, who moved into the bodyguards place and looked good, like she was comfortable with him. How close were they?

"How old are you?"

"Twenty two. Played a good part for an innocent little girl, didn't I?" She asked harshly, spinning toward the group of men behind her and Jodan.

"I've got him covered." She snapped, waving a hand. "Move back!" The Furyan's watching were surprised to see her order obeyed without question, and Cowan nodded as Lena and Devon scowled.

"That's how she knew so much. She aids in leadership here."

"She is leader here." Neil stated, voice as biter as usual. "She's partially responsible for one camp and totally in control of another." He looked at the girl with angry eyes.

"You can't have both. Choose." She frowned at him, heart beating furiously but her tone was steady, cold.

"My loyalties are to my people. All of them." She looked at Riddick with eyes that he found no trace of guilt in, only an apology for the betrayal.

"This is Jodan, your youngest brother." Jodan put out an arm and Riddick was surprised by the strength in his grip as they shook, clasping wrists.

"You gave her control too, huh? Guess it's hard not to. She just seems to belong..."

"Why am I here?" Riddick demanded and Jodan frowned, feeling the big Furyan's waves of rage clearly.

"To get me home. Haven't you been listening?" Riddick's eyes flashed.

"Slam you!" His furious gaze traveled the man, spotting the distinctive, familiar mark on his wrist. It was identical to the one on his own chest and while he wanted to be pissed, wanted to dive into the cool water and leave them all, some of his anger was fading at the realization that she'd indeed given him what he came here for. Family. Something he'd never had before. Because of the girl.

Jodan took a step closer, and the girl moved with him, telling them all who she'd fight for if it came down that way.

"Please. We need you." Jodan stated awkwardly and Riddick turned to the girl.

"You beg better than he does." Her face reddened at his mockery but she kept her mouth shut, waiting to see which way he would go.

Riddick was staring at the girl like he was coming to a decision but really, there wasn't one. A brother. What a new thing to have.

"On one condition." Jodan nodded eagerly.

"Anything."

"Give up all claim to the thrown. Here and now." Jodan's face fell at the granite words as mutters of disapproval flooded the new people but he nodded without much hesitation.

"The people would rather have you lead them anyway. Especially after your trip here. We've heard the stories of the bunker and Alien Alley. Some guts, that one." Riddick wasn't distracted by the small talk.

"Not me, her. One camp, one leader. While you hid here in safety, she risked her life, made the hard choices. She earned it." The girl was surprised to hear his words, relieved not to see hate in his cool depths, and still, she couldn't help resent him for how easily he held himself back.

"You mean till we're out of the caves, right?" Jodan asked and when Riddick said nothing to his brother's question, the girl had to ask, sure her betrayal would allow him to tell nothing but the truth and also knowing she wouldn't like it.

"Why? Before and now." Riddick's words were icy and made her female heart cry out in furious denial.

"Because no one in the universe does anything for free. There's always a price. With you, I paid my debt up front. I'm clear."

"So now you can leave without owing, with no chains? You been planing it all along." She stated bitterly and Riddick nodded, eyes flashing.

"When it's done, I get to walk and never look back. You have no hold on me, little girl. You never did." He ignored her pain-filled eyes to face the disapproval in his brother's.

"So, what was the plan if there's no ship here? Who do I have to ghost now?" Jodan swallowed at the menace, forced himself to hold his ground.

"The big bunker has ships for their own escape in case the WorldEnders come." RIddick's face twisted. Just as he'd thought. Another evil ruler. He growled low in his throat and the Witch, who was the only one among them that had an idea of what his life had really been like, stepped forward.

"We won't get passed these caves. Donre waits for us."

"Where?" The Girl demanded and Vanica gave her a tiny smile of knowing.

"Where you plan to take us out." Tori nodded. The Witch was in deep now, those here with no mental defenses other than Jodan. There would be few secrets from them now.

"We'll plan for it when we make camp tonight. Right now, we have about ten minutes and then we need to get on the move again. The wolves will be drawn by the blood in the water but so will the other things that live here. Not to mention the soldiers. They have to be in here somewhere by now." There was a tense silence as she reminded them of the facts and it was Riddick they looked to. Some of them would follow the girl no matter what but Riddick understood who was really in charge no matter what he said and he gave a low growl that had his own group relaxing a bit. It was like before but this time, as long as he kept the girl alive, he could walk when this was over and this time, he was going back to that cold ball of ice Aereon had found him on and no one would ever get him off it again.

"Get your shit together and do what you're told." He ordered, eyes daring his brother to say anything." She said we go in ten." He moved toward the water. "And, stay away from me. All of you." Tori flushed, knowing who that was meant for and she looked at the sullen group of 13 watching him walk away.

"We won't wait the full ten. Make your choice quick." There was a moment of silent consideration but never any real doubt as to what they'd do,(Hadn't they been preparing for this?) and when they went to gather their things, the girl helped them, the same way she had the other camp, Riddick's contempt and scorn ringing in her ears. 'You have no hold on me. You just thought you did.'

Neil followed Riddick and the air grew charged again when the Furyan turned abruptly, meeting the smaller man's eyes.

"Pick another time or taste your own blood." Neil's face said he knew but had to and Riddick nodded.

"Your choice." Neil swallowed, drew up his chest.

"You can't just come in here and make changes. We existed fine without you." Riddick nodded, snarled in anger.

"I didn't want this, remember? I was tricked into it, so if the girl doesn't want you between her legs, tough shit. Not my problem."

"But you won't back off." neil complained. "That's why she won't." Riddick snorted.

"Do you really think so?" The Bitter man flushed, shook his head.

"No, but it doesn't mater now. She'll see me stand up to you and it will be enough."

"Even if it costs you your life? Is she that good?" Riddick asked warningly, tone deceptively soft and when Neil hesitated, Riddick pushed the final button, feeling the need to strike out and content enough that his chosen target deserved some of what he was about to get.

"Face it. You're loyal enough for her, not strong enough, not brave enough. Basically, just not man enough. It's not a secret. We all know." The insult goaded him and when Neil swung, Riddick let the girl betrayal fuel his own hit. Neil flew backwards, blood gushing from his nose and when Riddick moved toward him, the bitter, bleeding man flinched back, face full of fear.

"Don't!" Riddick pulled him up by his arm, leaned in close.

"You bond with her?" Neil shook his head, movements jerky.

"No." Riddick shoved him away.

"Then you can live. She could never be in charge with a mate like you." He moved to the Defenders, all a bit stunned by the turn of events, but when RIddick moved passed them, Lena followed.

"Problem?"

"Green eyes again." He put a hand on his knife as shadows moved and the others saw, did the same.

"Come on out." Devon ordered and the voice that came back was young, nervous.

"We come in peace."

"The outcasts. Get lost!" Neil shouted, sounding like he was crying and his order was echoed by Fallon, Jodan's main bodyguard when Tori wasn't close.

"We'll open fire!" There was a shuffle and silence and Riddick saw the girl's face, responded to her need. Despite what he'd said, he did owe her. Leadership for family wasn't quite a fair trade.

"More of yours?" She nodded miserably.

"Teenagers that were voted out for minor offenses."

"Stealing and assault are not minor!" Fallon protested loudly and Riddick saw the girl's eyes narrow at the challenging tone. Clearly, there was already bad blood between them. How would she handle it? He knew what he'd do.

"They weren't getting enough to eat. None of us were. Hunger makes people do stupid things." The thick bodied guard wasn't sure if she meant him or the boys but chose to believe it was them.

"And, they'll do it again. They can't be trusted."

"And, you can?" Her tone was menacing, did Riddick proud, and Fallon flushed, eyes angry.

"Yes."

"So can they. Who do you think gives us the warning the wolves are coming?" She waved a hand at the bright green eyes boy barely visible in the tunnels dark shadows. "Eric's group watches out for you even though you show them no kindness." Fallon, always jealous of her place by Jodan, heard only what he wanted.

"You've had contact with them? Helped them?" She nodded.

"Many times. They wanted to go with me to Rosewell but I convinced them to watch over Jodan." There were any reactions but they were mostly true to their nature. Furious.

"She's betrayed us!"

"They can't be trusted."

"Neither can she! Let her live with them!" Fallon was the loudest of Jodan's men and as some of them moved her way, Riddick and Cowan included, the girl handled the problem. She threw her knife.

Fallon was dead before he hit the damp stone floor and Jodan's men moved back in surprise as the two big Furyan's flanked her. The girl calmly retrieved her blade, no regret in her movements or expression.

"Anyone else wanna vote me out? Wanna question my loyalty?" There was only a shocked silence and she waved a hand at the listening teenagers.

"Bring yourselves down here and speak as men."

The seven teenage boys were heartbreakingly thin, too young to be completely on their own and yet, they gave off strength and alertness in waves that Riddick's group recognized, respected. They were true survivors.

As they came, some jumping, some climbing, they were torn between Jodan, who had let them be kicked out, Riddick, who they knew only from stories, and the girl, who had slipped them food again and again. Wisely, they went to the one who'd just killed for them.

"We'd go too." Eric stated, bright green eyes full of fear and hope. "We'd pull our weight, do what we're told." She looked over the waiting boys, ignoring the frowns of Jodan's men.

"You pledge yourselves to the cause?" All of them nodded and the girl smiled, saw the Defender couple eyeing them thoughtfully.

"Yes. We too long for the homes we've never had." Even the Witch felt herself stir, was glad when Tori ended it.

"Fall into the rear. Lena and Devon will show you what to do." She turned toward the tunnel, adjusted her pack.

"Come on. We'll sleep on the boat."

They moved thru the darkness quickly, trying to be quiet. Doug and Eric were on point this time, speaking in low, muttered tones about the fastest way, and the girl let herself fall back to a place in the middle with no one around her. She was the outcast now. They would follow her orders because of Riddick but they wouldn't let her in anymore. She would likely never be close to any of them, she told herself, and was surprised when Cowan fell in step beside her. He didn't speak right away and she stopped herself from doing it for him. He was a lot like Riddick in some ways, she thought, avoiding darker patches on the floor that were damp. If he had something to say..

"You should have told us back at Alien Alley." She nodded in the darkness.

"Yeah."

"You were afraid he wouldn't come?" She snorted quietly.

"Worse than that. I didn't want to give up leadership that came with him being close. I was willing to sacrifice all of you to keep it." There was only silence for a moment and his words held a ring of a sudden quiz she had to pass.

"Well, have you?"

"Have I what?"

"Kept it? Does it securely belong to you?"

"No. They'll never let me stay in charge once he splits." Cowan smiled at Vanica as she came to the girl's other side.

"So long as you know that, you didn't really lose anything." The Witch said, giving Cowan's look of approval a casual nod of notice.

"You only have something to keep." Vanica stated. "In fact, you might have gained things in other's eyes now. Sometimes that matters more than trust." The girl shook her head, voice low.

'It's all that matter to reaching him." Lena gently bumped Cowan from his place at the girl's side, ignoring his happy look of surprise at her playful actions.

"You never had a chance. No one does."

"You have something better." Vanica pointed out.

"What?"

"Respect, once he cools off. He was bested by a woman. Not just anyone could pull off what you did. You're an equal now."

"Doesn't feel that way. If I achieved something, why do I feel so empty?" There was no answer, though all of them knew she was right about trust mattering to him, and Vanica threw her arm around the girl's strong shoulders.

"I just knew you were a sneaky Bitch too." She stated happily, hugging the girl closer. "Welcome to the Sisterhood, Tori."

Mind if I walk with you?" Riddick shrugged, thinking that for brothers, he'd seen nothing but their looks that said they might be family. He let out a low rumble, still upset over not seeing exactly what was going on. What was the point? Why had he wanted to find family?

"So, where will you go once you dump us on Furya?" Jodan asked quietly and Riddick shrugged.

"There's always another monster, another planet to escape."

"You know she won't keep it, right?" Riddick said nothing, sharp mind still working the problem. He had solutions but none of them were to his advantage and his brother's unexpected words settled deep into his head.

"Unless she marries one of us. Rules that way." Riddick stiffened.

"You want her?" Jodan's brows rose, hands in his pockets.

"Who wouldn't? She's strong, full of fire."

"Yeah. Literally." His brother looked at him in the darkness, blue eyes alert, careful.

"You?" There was only silence and Jodan nodded.

"Maybe I'll talk to her about it when we're off this dead rock." Riddick's lips tightened.

"And when she says no?" Jodan flushed.

"Try to support her anyway?" Riddick met his eye.

"Wanna clear the debt you owe me? Keep her in charge." The other man looked back, words coming from instinct.

"What are you atoning for?" Riddick's eyes flashed.

"Be careful. Family or not, you hold no power over me either." Riddick turned, melted into the darkness and heard Jodan sigh.

"No wonder there's so few of us. Fuses are just too short."

Sorry it took so long to post that. Hospital visits take WAY TOO much time! Anyway, thanks for all the reviews and critiques. I take each one to heart. Hope you're enjoying so far but don't be so sure you've got it all figured out yet. More twists wait.


	26. Chapter 26

26.) Boats & Bounty Hunters

"Wow. You built it yourself?" The girl nodded at the Defender Mother's impressed tone as she dropped her things in front of the 40 x 15, flat bottom boat.

"Took us two years. The wolves kept following the sound."

"Have you tried it yet?" Devon asked and Tori shook her head.

"No. The falls at the end are steep. Didn't want to risk crashing it and having to start over. Wood is hard to find in the Badlands."

The long boat was smoke black with 2 rows of bench style seats that ran the length of it, with the small frame of a wheel house on the left front. It sat on a wide row of metal poles with huge boulders in front of it to keep it from moving and the girl waited tensely as Riddick ran his glowing eyes over her labor of love. After a moment, he shrugged.

"Get them in and we'll see if it floats."

Tori, Jodan, and the Defender sons went to the front, Jodan's guards lining the seats behind them, Neil, Kyle, Doug and his wife in the row after that. Marco, Seth, Sammi and her son, and the half dozen weaker people from Rosewell filled the middle, leaving the rear for the seven outcasts, the Witch, and the Defender parents. It was a full load and when Cowan and Riddick moved the boulders, big muscles straining, everyone was surprised by how quickly, how smoothly, the big ship began to slide over the metal poles toward the rushing water.

The splash was big, loud as the flat bottom boat hit the river and the two Furyan's jumped at the same time, landed between the rear seats. The ship sat heavily in the waves but it was pulled along like it weighed nothing and they were all glad to see it wasn't leaking. They'd been on foot, in trucks, on a plane, and now their journey had led them to water. What would be next?

The girl was using one of the numerous poles between the seats to line them up with the current and when she flipped a switch near her knees, a huge light glared to life on front of the ship, illuminating the wide, low ceiling cave and the river around them.

"Your idea?" Jodan jumped as Riddick moved to flank the girl and the weaker brother gave up the defensive position without argument.

"Yes." The girl didn't look at him. "I've always believed." He said nothing, sharp eyes watching the walls and dark tunnels they were slowly sailing passed.

"How long till you need help?" She shrugged.

"At least four hours. Maybe five. We made the trip by raft in about 3." Riddick nodded, sliding into the small, secluded wheel house, dropped to the floor. He leaned his head back, looked at her with tired blue eyes.

"Let the oldest boy have it and come get some sleep." She frowned, considering, shook her head.

"I don't think I could. Not here." Riddick low sigh of annoyance was clear and he pushed himself up a bit to spread his cloak open.

"Come over here, little girl." Tori felt her heart leap and before she could think of another excuse, his hand had snaked out to wrap around her ankle, tugging.

"Okay! Damn it!" She jerked her leg loose and pulled the knot on her own cloak as she passed the pole to the expressionless Defender son. She watched him for a minute, couldn't help it, and was comforted by how familiar he seemed.

"If he needs something, he'll ask." The Furyan's voice was definitely becoming annoyed and the girl let him pull her down. She slid between his legs and spun neatly, dropping down and she flared out her cloak over both of them as she leaned her head back, heart thumping at his nearness. Riddick closed the ends of his cloak over them, strong arms encircling her slender waist and after a few minutes of tense silence, Riddick's lips curved.

"I don't bite." The Girl laughed, surprised at the joke.

"Liar." "Control freak." Tori rolled her eyes, forced herself to relax. This was Riddick. He would keep her safe. She smiled ruefully. Being this close, he'd have to.

Riddick knew when she finally dozed off, felt the stress slide out of her warm body like her boat had slid down the incline and he ignored the thumping of his own heart. How had he done this again? How had he let someone in? He rumbled deep in his chest. Aereon. That's how. Fucking Elemental's and their calculating.

Riddick sent his eyes over everything, the top of the wheel house from waist up just an open frame, meeting and ignoring the content, curious, and coveting looks. He rested his head against the hard wood and closed his eyes, confident things were about as dangerous as they usually were whenever he rested. It was nothing new to him. His nature would stay alert no matter how deeply he slept. The dark side, the primitive side, would watch out for him like it always did.

Many in the long fully loaded boat followed their lead, including Jodan and his guards, and it wasn't long before only the Defender family was awake, their training and herbs keeping them alert. Even Cowan and vanica were sleeping, cuddled together much the same way Riddick and the girl were, Marco's hot looks ignored, and the boat moved gently with the strong current, slowly getting closer to the light.

"There's no greater power in the universe than destiny, Furyan. You can't outrun it." Riddick's eyes flew open, told him he was no longer on the boat with the girl, but on top of the very mountain itself, he and Shirah on a thin ledge. The warrior woman was watching him with hard eyes and the clouds rolled thickly, pictures flashing in their foggy depths.

"The sum of life, of your life, Riddick." He blinked at the images, harsh shows of the violence that his life had always contained, and he closed his eyes as Kyra's face flashed, the tear of death rolling.

"You've killed many. Abandoned countless others and you feel little for them." Shirah's voice was harsh. "But this one, you can never escape. What do you owe for her sacrifice?"

"She'da died with me anyway. Soon or later." Riddick stated defensively, hating the knowing female voice in his dreams.

"Then why can't you push her face to the darkness of your mind and leave it there like all the others?"

"Because I failed!" He growled. "I got her killed!" His voice lowered. "Because I wanted to save her and couldn't. I.. failed." There was silence for a moment as he faced himself, saw the darkness waiting there.

"Is this all I'm to be? Just a killer?" Shirah's voice grew kinder.

"What more would you have, Furyan?"

"To be left alone. Peace." His granite voice went down another notch. "To have back what I lost." Shirah shook her head.

"That's not for you and you know it or you'd still be in UnderVerse, with her. Kyra's reincarnation will unbalance things just as it did when each of the previous Lord Marshals came back from their pilgrimages but we'll deal with that later. Right now, you must decide your future."

"Decide what? If I'm gonna ghost another ruler and have to ditch a new group of people? Too late." Shirah said nothing, only looked at him, and Riddick could feel her stare even with his eyes still shut.

"I'm not their hero!" He growled in frustration and her sad tone bothered him more than he'd admit.

"No, but you're all they have, these and many more like them."

"No." She shrugged.

"Then why are you still here? Why haven't you left them?" He didn't answer, not really sure himself. The excuse of family seemed too weak, too unimportant for a conversation with this warrior woman and he opened his eyes to see the show hadn't stopped. His mistakes, his indifference to his fellow man, his coldness with those who needed him most still flashing.

"The destruction of Furya will be avenged by those who've suffered the most. After that, peace will find you."

"Bullshit. All of it." He said flatly and her vice was amused.

"Maybe. More likely, they've become your people, your family. Others like yourself and you need them almost as much as they need you. Now and on Furya." His growl was quick.

"No!" Riddick steeled himself, ready to be awake. "Find someone else to give you justice, lady. I won't tell you again." Riddick threw himself from the ledge, body dropping like stone and then he was jerking awake, eyes flying over the cave walls and sleeping refugees. The girl stirred against his chest and Riddick stilled, closing his eyes as his heart thumped. If it was all bullshit, then why was he still here? To kill the big bad guy? Would that set him free? What was it they'd said was in the prophesy? A moral choice and a family duty. That was finding his brother, right? Even if the guy didn't seem like family at all, except in looks? He'd been tricked before. Was he being lied to again?

"You okay?" Tori asked lowly, feeling the tension in the big,warm body behind him.

"Curious." She yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"About?"

"Jodan." She smiled.

"That's a change. Let's see. He's quiet, smart, loyal, not in very good health, though." She told him, loving the feel of his being wrapped around her. "He stays behind when we go on runs. I don't think he's been out of these caves in five years."

"How long have you known him?" She considered.

"About twice that. When my parents were killed, Doug brought me here so Donre couldn't get to me." Riddick got the impression there was a lot more to it than that, a lot more to her and her family, but his mind was working a more pressing question and he stored the information for later.

"Anyone know him from Furya? From the invasion or landing?"

"No. Jodan was the only survivor on the royal battlecruiser." He said nothing else and the girl frowned, realizing his questions didn't fit the Riddick she knew. Unless it was suspicion instead of curiosity. Her frown grew. Did he have reason to be? She shook her head.

"It's not possible. What your thinking couldn't happen. Someone in that time would have known, told others. He's been with us since he was a teen. There's never been a whisper." Silence and the girl let out a sigh that sounded much like his own and the fact that she didn't notice it made Riddick's lips twitch.

"You'd be sure. I'll look into it." She started to get up and Riddick's arm tightened.

"Later." She shrugged, leaned back.

"Waste of time anyway. He's your brother. Deal with it." Her curt tone made his lips twitch again but he seemed to sense her thoughts moving toward their deal and he cut her off.

"No." The girl scowled.

"I didn't say anything."

"Didn't have to. He's not proven. I don't owe you." She snorted, closing her eyes.

"We both know better." Riddick's chest rumbled his displeasure, showing weakness and she shifted in his arms, rolling to face him.

"And I'd have my debt settled before we face Donre." Riddick said nothing, waiting, and wasn't surprised by the need that flashed in her eyes.

"You know my price." His face tightened.

"It won't hold me." She nodded, didn't look away.

"I expect only to shrink the worlds between us for a brief time. After, you can go." He smirked.

"Don't need the convict anymore, huh?" She shook her head.

"No, but I want him!" Her fierce admission caught him off guard, touched him, and he allowed her to slide up his big body, rub her cheek against his.

"Please." She kissed his stubbled cheek, hands curling around his neck, and she could feel his indecision.

"You owe me!" Riddick's arms crushed her close as he rolled them over.

"I owe no one!"

Electric sparked between them, her breathing uneven, and Riddick leaned close, smelling of her female heat. She was ready. He paused, letting the hormones rush, swell.

"Riddick?" Her voice was rough, sexy, and his granite tone was a low growl they were both surprised to hear.

"Richard." She smiled in surprise, body tingling at the feel of his heaviness on top of her.

"Victoria." His eyes flashed.

"This is what you want, little girl?" She nodded without hesitation.

"Yes. Give me what you can, what you would." His eyes flashed again.

"I'm no wizard." She grinned wryly.

"And I'm no virgin." She pulled his head toward her. "Come. Pay what you owe.' He growled, fury at being trapped warring with the need she'd woken in him and it kept him still as her hands began to roam his body. Her lips brushed his shoulder, his neck, teeth and nails lightly raking across his skin and when she got no response, she dug them in, was rewarded with a flinch of his hips that revealed an iron bar against her thigh. Liked that, did he? She shoved his cloak aside, legs coming up to wrap around his lean hips and she arched against him, used the movement to distract him so she could seal their lips, take what she wanted. Her tongue invaded his mouth, core hot against him, and Riddick's thin control over himself snapped. It had been a long time

His traitorous hands went to her neck, her hip, holding her so he could shove between her legs and she moaned lowly in her throat, sending liquid heat into his gut. Sexy! He slid his mouth over hers and rocked against her in quick little jerks, mouth catching her groans as her pleasure flew over her quickly, stunning her as she gasped, arching.

Her pleasure tightened his own need and Riddick's skilled hands had her laces undone and bottom half bare before her soft body had stopped twitching. She opened her mouth to say something, to back out maybe, and he dropped his mouth over hers, hand moving between them to undo his own ties, as his other hand closed over her breast, brushed a nipple. She arched under him, hands balled against his back and she shivered at the cold air when he raised up, mouth on her neck, suckling.

He was hot and hard against her a second later, hips already thrusting and his mouth caught her cry as he shoved forward, buried himself in her stunning heat. He stayed still a moment, trying to keep control and not hurt her like he sometimes did with whores in the past and she sensed his hesitation, locked eyes with him.

"As you would, Furyan! I'd have you no other way." Her order made his heart thump and when she opened the rest of her top to reveal a small, glowing handprint on her ribcage, Riddick felt his own light up in response.

"Two sides of the same coin. You can not hurt me. I want this." To prove her point, she tilted her hips, making him slide deeper and he bit back a groan, already on the edge. "As I would?" He rasped out, unable to stop him elf from pushing back when she arched again. She tightened her muscles around his hardness, making him gasp.

"As we would." She rose up to meet his hungry kiss and Riddick let himself go, let the mating fever have its way as he shoved frantically into her heat, mouth claiming hers. His quick, deep jerks mashed them together, pain and pleasure mixing as he moved faster, harder. His hands traveled her body, rubbing, twisting, brushing and she locked her arms around his neck, nails raking roughly over his skin, making his gasp against her mouth. The sound sent heat shooting thru her body and she opened her eyes to find him watching her, eyes foggy with lust.

"With me!" He ordered, feeling the edge rising up to meet him and she felt her body respond, clenching, pulsing, exploding.

On the edge but mentally fighting the complete loss of control, he growled his frustration and the girl responded to his need, rolling them over as she grasped his thick wrists, slammed them above his head. She thrust against him, groaning into his mouth at the feeling of taking what she wanted and then he fully in her, shoving, thrusting in a desperate blur as she held his head still so she could clim his lips.

Riddick tensed beneath her, starting to roll over and she tightened her legs around his waist, nails digging into his thick arms.

"Mine!" She sank her teeth into his shoulder and he arched, shoving deep enough to rip a real cry of pain from her lips and then he was unloading, chest rumbling as he sprayed again and again, filling her with his seed.

Tori collapsed on his hard chest and she jumped, laughed as his fingers slid between them.

"I'm good. You don't…" Riddick arched beneath her, making her gasp at how hard he still was.

"Again!" She smiled in satisfaction, closed her eyes as he used her body to please only himself this time, movements quick, erotic, just as frantic, and when he stiffened under her a second time, he didn't cum alone. He might not be a wizard, she though, swallowing her moan as they pulsed together, but there was magic just the same.

Jealous, glittering eyes watched their shadows, furious and elated. His! She was his! He seethed with anger, holding himself in check even as his mind said it had worked. Donre's plan had worked.

"We should try now." The man's tone was cautious, uneasy.

"And risk hitting the Heir? No." The second Hunter was scornful but no less unsure.

"If we wait much longer, they'll be out and it will be too late."

"Can't we just talk to them?" The other two shadows frowned at the rookie.

"Bounty hunters don't talk. They kill."

"But we don't want to.."

"Shhhh!" They all tensed as the Witch on drag turned their way, searching blindly in the darkness. Her heat sought out theirs, like draw to like and they prepared to do battle when she raised a hand in their direction. And were surprised when she sent the signal for talk. The rookie looked at his trainers and when they said nothing, he flashed his light in response. They watched her nod once and then turn back to the comfort of her man's arms and the 3 unwilling bounty hunters relaxed a little. Maybe they could work something out after all. Maybe no one had to die.

"Is this the best we can do?" The soldier kept his face neutral as Donre turned to stare at him with cold, green eyes.

"Are you questioning an order?" The casual tone was deceptive and the Lt. quickly shook his head, looking down.

"No, sir. We will fire upon command." Satisfied he was in control, the General turned back to the view of the cave entrance they had thru the tall river grass, hating the calm flow of the water.

"Daylight, boys. Don't miss."

The huge platoon of soldiers was bigger than it had been only a few hours earlier, more men coming to offer backup even though Donre was technically a fugitive now too, and they waited downstream in the high weeds, bodies wrapped in camouflage, weapons heavy on brute strength and these soldiers talked quietly among themselves as the General paced silently among them.

"You bring extra darts? They say the girl took 4."

"Bullshit. No survivors. How could they know?"

"Only half a dozen to worry about. They don't have as many fighters as they think."

"Thought they got Donre's inside snake?"

"Wasn't the only one."

"How long till this goes down?"

"Base says afternoon but Donre's been saying daylight all along."

"He should know since he's one of them."

Lena and Devon took the front positions, sending their sons to rest as the water moved faster, slightly downhill and the pair used the poles smoothly, keeping the boat from getting too close to the jagged walls they were sailing by. Small debris was bumping against the ship, the current trying to gain control and the Defenders worked together without speaking, strong arms and minds keeping them in the middle.

The light showed a slight turn to the right and Devon moved instantly to the rear of the long boat, helping Lena turn them. People were waking, frowning at the unsteady tugging of the fast water, and the Father stayed in the back as Lena signal which way for the next turn.

"Guess you've done this before." The girl stated, coming from the wheelhouse and when Lena grinned, the girl heard the excitement of having a challenge to face.

"A time or two." Tori moved to the open pole on the opposite side of the Mother and Neil evened them out by taking a place further down, black eyes ugly, glittering. Together, the 4 of them guided the boat, everyone else now awake and watching.

"It slants downhill around the next bend. You'll see a wooden platform. Aim for the red bandana. We built a breaker to beach on." Lena nodded and almost immediately, the boat's front end dropped and they were flying along, all of them struggling to keep it straight.

"Here it comes! Hang on!"

There was a jarring thud as the heavy boat grounded itself, sliding up toward the wooden dock and people were thrown forward as it hit a thick layer of clay and jerked to a stop. The girl grinned apologetically at the people picking themselves up from the violent stop.

"A sorry. It was the best we could do with what we had." Lena's normally expressionless face was alive with pleasure as she grinned back.

"It's a fine boat, a fine brake."

"Why did we stop?" Cowan asked grumpily from behind them, able to smell the Witch on his skin. Where the hell had she gone? The girl pointed to a rope ladder along the dock that led into another cave above them.

"We're almost at the end. We need to see if the way out's clear." She looked at Jodan. "Stay near the Defenders. We won't be long."

"Don't bother." Vanica's voice made her frown and the sight of her companions had Lena and her boys drawing their weapons.

"Furyan Bounty Hunters!" Cowan exclaimed angrily, moving toward the Witch and he was surprised when she held up a hand to stop his advance.

"They wish to talk to our leader." Many of their group had drawn weapons and Riddick flanked the girl as the Defenders stayed with Jodan, like they'd been told.

"I'm in charge here." Tori stated expressionlessly and the three men started to mock her, saw no smiles, and waited. The girl shrugged, eyes flashing anger.

"Kill them." Riddick and Cowan moved together and the surprise was evident.

"Wait!"

"Damn! She is in charge."

"We only come to talk." Tori kept a hand on her knife handle, stepped closer to the three tall, dark skinned Hunters.

"We're in a hurry. What do you want?" The tallest man, who's hair was one long black and blond braid down to his hips, held out a hand.

"We wish a truce." The girl stared at him for a long time before finally answering, ignoring those of her group who advised her to kill them all anyway.

"Why?" The Hunter's finely chiseled face allowed a crack of emotion to show as he dropped his arm.

"You go home?" She nodded, seeing the desire in his gaze.

"Furya needs us." The Hunter nodded, waved a hand at his silent companions.

"Us, as well. We'd go as Hunters to keep the law." The girl shrugged.

"I have the Defenders. Why you?" The man's smile was cool.

"Because Defenders are personal guards, not police. We'd handle the criminals that come." His eyes flicked over Riddick, Cowan, and Sammi, then came back to the girl. "The real criminals."

"What proof do you bring that this isn't a clever ambush?" Marco demanded and the lead Hunter grinned icily.

"Information about the trap laid for you just outside these caves." The three men saw no surprise, no fear.

"You knew." The girl nodded.

"We suspected. How many?"

"Over a hundred. Maybe more."

"You can show me where?" Tori asked and Gabe, the lead Hunter, dropped down to draw in the dust.

"They wait just beyond this bend in the river, hiding in the tall grass. Divided here, here, and here." He stood up, waiting for Riddick to take charge and was surprised again when the Furyan only waited for the girl's choice like the rest of them.

"It doesn't change the plan. We'll just have to wait for the cover of dark." She pointed at the crude drawing.

"Where are their trucks at?" Gabe knelt back down, marking little circles roughly a mile from the ambush sight.

"Here. Guarded, of course. The General wouldn't want to be stuck walkin thru the Badlands like you guys were."

"It's Donre himself out there?" The Witch's snarl was ugly, full of hatred and Gabe nodded.

"Two platoons joined him as we came in. Another General leads them but all are deferring to Donre, waiting for him to handle you."

"You ever get a General?" Cowan asked the Witch and Vanica shrugged.

"Not one of his caliber. Since he's Furyan, it's a triple point."

"Split it with ya?" The Witch nodded, flushing a bit at Marco's dark glare. Hunting together was something couples did.

"We could just go jack their trucks. Let them live." Jodan stated quietly and there were frowns among those eager to risk their lives but it was Riddick's words the girl listened to, her eye on his.

"They'll be hot on our trail. You should ghost 'em, little girl. Show 'em who their Fuckin with." Tori nodded and Riddick wasn't surprised to see the hint of bloodlust in her gaze.

"There are many we'd avenge. Everyone agrees?" No one spoke against it and the girl waved a hand at the long, beached boat.

"Let's get loaded back up. We'll make plans while we move."


	27. Chapter 27

27.) Battles & Betrayals

"Here they come." Donre told them, voice soft yet carrying strangely, like it wasn't on the same frequency and they began to pass down the signal. Get ready. Don't miss.

"They couldn't have made it this far already." The Lt. protested quietly and the General nodded.

"Not unless they didn't sleep. Another advantage on our side. Get set."

Nothing moved but the rushing water in the thick silence and then a shadow slid out of the cave, the shape of a wide, flat bottom boat, much larger than Donre had been told in his monthly spy reports.

The boat rode high in the water but the bundles on the benches looked like sleeping bodies, fooled those watching. It looked as if there was only a single oarsman in a long black cloak, hood up, guiding the sleeping Furyan's. Donre smiled.

"Candy from babies." His finger tightened on the trigger, determined to take out the steering first but he held himself in check, waiting for the right moment, and in the darkness, the Furyan's, two groups of 10, edged closer to the soldiers while everyone else headed for the General's transportation.

"Now!" Donre flashed his light as he pulled the trigger and Marco took the bullet in the side of the neck with a thick grunt of pain. The Wizard fell heavily into the fast moving current, body quickly drug under, and the soldiers opened fire on the boat. He really needed them alive, at least some of them, but right now, they had to eliminate as many of the real threats as they could.

Weapons flashed in the darkness, the silence broken by heavy gunfire and hundreds of rounds raking the boat as it glided passed.

"Now!" Riddick called battle's start and the Furyan's returned fire. Shadows moved, knives flashing as they cut thru the first group of 25 unsuspecting soldiers, killing half before the heavily armored men realized they were under attack. Now the ones trapped by the water, the soldiers were mowed down. The other group of 25 on this side of the water had seen and began coming to the aid of their comrades, many in the water as the boat exploded.

"Kkaaablammm!" Shrapnel blasted thru the river grass where the soldiers had placed their ambush and it flew with deadly accuracy, most of the unlucky men dead before they hit the ground.

The Furyan's stayed low, letting the new rush of soldiers take down the rest of their own that had survived the first strike and them they were raising up as men stopped to reload, knives and clubs flying, blood spraying. The flames from the now crippled boat lit up the huge battlefield, showing grisly death in flickering detail.

Donre's men automatically surrounded him as a group of seven hooded Furyan's stalked toward them in the night, jerking back in surprised when their bullets seemed to go straight thru them with no effect and Donre shoved the Lt. aside.

"Defenders tricks! They can split!"

"Wrong." Vanica threw her knife, the blade looking like it bent around the Lt.'s ear and it sank into Donre' shoulder with a satisfying thud.

"It's magic." To her anger, Donre began to laugh and no blood fell from the wound.

"It was expected. Bet this isn't." He disappeared suddenly and Vanica screamed her rage at being tricked. She spun to face the shocked soldiers but instead of fighting her way thru, she darted between them, moving faster and faster, headed for the canyon where the trucks were parked.

Despite the well set ambush, the Furyan's won the riverbank battle easily, the fight ending with men diving into the river to escape, only to be chased down by the Youngest Son's wolf, who'd joined the battle like one of the team. Seven minutes after it started, it was over, the Furyan's' bloody, victorious. But they'd taken losses.

Two of the outcast boys were laying face down in the water, Kyle was bleeding heavily from a chest wound, Doug dead with a shot to the head, and one of the bounty hunters had been trimmed along the arm. The ground was muddy with blood as the Furyan's looked at each other with red lined eyes and then gunfire rang out and the Defender parents were a vanishing blur as they went to check on their boys, Cowan and Riddick close behind.

Time seemed to slow for Riddick as he rounded the corner, Cowan on his heels, and he arrived in time to see Lena and Vanica fall, the Witch slammed back against the canyon wall from the blast, the bodies of the entire group spread out in a pattern of ambush around them. The girl, struggling, was wrapped up tight with a knife to her throat, Jodan on the ground at her feet, bleeding heavily from a shoulder wound.

"Stop there or she's dead." Donre warned, grip harsh and Riddick did, eyes searching for and finding the weak points, targets, the way to save her. The three Bounty Hunters came quickly around the corner and Donre's Lieutenant fired a warning shot over their heads.

"Stop there!" Donre backed up a few feet but his voice was eager.

"Her life for the power. Take me to UnderVerse." Riddick gave his preferred answer, silence, and Donre smiled coolly.

"I've waited thirty years. I will have what I was promised." Riddick shrugged.

"We have no deal." Donre's face tightened.

"I saw the ship. How is the Lord Marshal?"

"Dead."

"By your hand I assume. So now, you'll take me to UnderVerse. Now."

The Furyan's, except Riddick, who hadn't moved, took up places in front of Jodan, missing the nervous glances he was casting at Marco, who had just found the Vanica, fell to her side. Would the Wizard be able to save her?

"Well?" Riddick looked at the girl, read the instructions there. Give me an edge.

"Not enough of your side left for this move. Bad bluff." Donre laughed, showing crooked, yellowing teeth.

"I have more help here than you think." The Furyan's were looking at each other, most eyes going to the vehemently protesting bounty hunters, and Donre jerked his head toward the one truck the girl hadn't destroyed during their quick, brutal fight.

"I have a ship hidden. Let's go. It's time I was paid." Riddick's voice was cold.

"Well over due." He flinched toward the traitor, who raised his gun and as his grip eased, Riddick gave her a nod. Now.

It was a move the Defender boys had drilled her on during camp times and Tori did them proud now, head butting the unsuspecting Killer and then sliding under the knife in time to use his backward momentum to flip herself over and land behind, her blade drawing across his neck as two shiv's and an arrow slammed into his chest, one after another. Donre hit his knees first, blood running from his mouth and only the girl saw who he glanced at as death claimed him, body falling face down in the dirt, but didn't get to examine it as clapping echoed from above them.

"Well done. What an excellent new group of Necromonger converts you've gathered, My Lord." Riddick's chest rumbled his displeasure.

"Don't call me that!" Everyone turned to see a smartly dressed woman with a hand on the arm of an imposingly clad man on the ledge above, both clearly having seen and heard everything without helping, and the Furyan's stared in surprise and suspicion at the double row of heavily armored and rather intimidating looking soldiers behind the couple.

The pair came down the rock path, the man effortlessly bearing her weight on his arm and the girl moved to stand in front of Jodan, eyes worried. She'd heard things in their tones that confused her but she had a feeling it was about to be straightened out. Riddick's past had caught up with him. Who would pay for it?

The Dame looked at Riddick with glittering eyes, body language that of a predator preparing an ambush.

"Have you found what you came here for?" Riddick countered her question with his own.

"Does it matter?" She hesitated and Vakko spoke up, arrogantly ignoring the muttering Furyan's around them and their weapons.

"The Elemental sent us." Riddick's tone was sarcastic but his eyes watched Vakko's movements, saw the shadow of being half dead. This was turning out to be a really long trip.

"So you came to... rescue me, then?" The Dame sauntered closer, sharp eyes seeing him look at the girl for a split second and she smiled craftily.

"What else would we have come for?"

"My head." Her smile grew patient, tone reasoning as the muttering increased.

"It need not come to that. Simply relinquish the thrown in front of these witnesses and we'll go away in peace, same as we came."

"What's she talking about?" The Girl asked, not wanting to believe it. "Who are these people?"He said nothing and the Dame's eyes widened with each whisper.

"One of them!'

"Worldenders.."

"Their leader!"

"What's she talking about, Riddick?" The Dame grinned in cruel admiration.

"They don't know! You didn't tell them you're the new Lord Marshal of the very army that destroyed Furya! How perfectly terrible. Perhaps they really are converts and you plan to come back and continue the dark crusade?" Voice full of shocked disbelief, the girl took a step toward Riddick.

"It's true? These .. World Enders are your people?" Riddick growled in anger but before he could utter it, another voice rang out.

"Riddick has no people." It echoed from above them again and this time it was a slender, long black-robed female that moved down the hill with eyes that were foggy, strange somehow, and her steps jerked, like she'd just learned to use her legs.

"We've brought a peace offer, Furyan, a truce. What was lost has been returned to you. We ask only for the same." Waving a hand, the Dame moved back, and the watching Furyan's noticed Riddick hadn't taken his eyes from Vakko's lurking form. Until now.

They stared at each other for a long moment and her death flashed thru both their minds,("I was always with you. I was.") as the half dead female stumbled awkwardly closer.

"Hello, Riddick."

"Kyra." The girl knew instantly who this was, though Riddick had only talked of it once, and her stomach churned with jealousy and fear. Wasn't she supposed to be dead?

The slender woman moved with none of her former cat-like grace, as if something wasn't quite wired right inside her, and Riddick's lips thinned.

"Peace, Breeder. Settle down and be left alone. Just give us what you don't want anyway." The Dame's voice echoed from behind Kyra as she moved toward Riddick with unsure steps but there was a glint in her eye that made Riddick think of their Crematoria reunion. Blood had been drawn then. His.

Kyra wasn't herself but there were traces and she struggled to put them together, mind not longer all there. Being half dead was strange, tiring.

"I'm alive again." Riddick hardened himself, voice set in stone.

"If you say so." That stopped her, wiped the odd smile from her pale blue lips and everyone around the teenager tensed as the new female spun awkwardly toward the girl, teetered, caught herself at the last second.

"He's killed everyone he ever bonded with, served with, survived with, and your fate will be no different. He's cursed." The girl studied her rival, wondering if she and the convict had truly been friends or if their relationship had been forged under desperate circumstances. Had she been only a fellow survivor of some awful nightmare? She certainly looked the part.

"I knew that the first day. Didn't you?" Kyra's bitter smile was hard to look at but the girl's training told her not to look away from the rage lurking behind those foggy eyes.

"I was a 12 year old runaway and Riddick was my Hero, my dark knight in Hell." The girl knew she was outmatched and her grip on the knife in her hand tightened as she responded. He might know how to fight the half dead but she did not.

"You saw what you wanted to. He never promised you anything."

"You don't know that!" Kyra hissed, moving behind her and the girl shrugged as her people got set to come to her aid.

"I know Riddick." Kyra's scornful laughter rang out.

"Another one willing to fall for him." She moved closer to the girl, looking over her shoulder at Riddick. "I did and now he won't even look at me. Guilt, you think, or just revulsion at what I've become?"

"Probably both. This UnderVerse place might have returned you to life but it couldn't return your life to you. The person he knew no longer exists." Kyra's hands moved and when Tori's eyes widened in surprise, she shoved her down, stepped over her to face Riddick. The Dame frowned, eyes narrowing to thin slits. Had she missed something?

"I was always with you." His face tightened and Kyra pushed harder. "So was Frye." He jerked as if slapped and their last moments together flashed in his mind,( "No! For them, not for me!"). Pale face almost totally hidden from view, she delivered the blow meant to break him.

"Even though you would have left us to die on that planet." He turned his back to her, heart aching that he couldn't deny it.

"Let them have it, Riddick. You don't want this." His voice was hard.

"Just let them continue unopposed and come back with you. Is that the plan? Hide in the dark?" Her face twisted.

"We can have light this time too. No one will hunt you there." Riddick's gaze went to the Dame, who had moved in front of her husband to insure he didn't move too soon but her dark eyes glittered with concentration as she looked between him and Kyra, as if working something out.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then your head will indeed suffice." Vakko warned coldly and the Dame's cultured voice became clipped, short.

"You don't belong in control of us, Breeder! Surrender the thrown and we'll spare your lives. Spare this planet" Riddick shook his head. No way they'd honor such a deal, his still being alive was too much of a threat, but he found he couldn't just hand it over anyway. These were the people who'd destroyed Furya, his world, the reason he'd had such a screwed up life, and he made the only choice he could. He would fight to keep what was his.

"Give us the thrown!" The Dame ordered and Riddick's lips twisted at the ugly tone.

"Knew your beauty was only skin deep." Vakko stepped around his wife, angry for her embarrassment but more furious that he'd been thwarted in his own plan to kill the Lord Marshal and assume command.

"Give up the thrown. Renounce it." Riddick smirked.

"If you can kill me, you can keep it." Vakko's voice was pointed as he brought them chest to chest.

"That's the plan."

WHat do you Ladies and gents think so far? Isn't it great about the new Riddick movie next year? I can't wait. Thanks for the reviews. PLease keep 'em comin. Long live Vin!


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